It’s a battle of prayers versus pancakes.  On one end, the International House of Pancakes.  On the other end, the Kansas City, Missouri, charitable organization International House of Prayer.  One has been going by IHOP for nearly 30 years; the other wants to go by IHOP.  The two IHOPs, Pancakes and Prayer, are heading to court over the initials.

The lawsuit, filed by IHOPancakes against IHOPrayer, alleges that IHOPrayer “selected and adopted the International House of Prayer name, knowing it would be abbreviated IHOP.  IHOP-KC intended to misappropriate the fame and notoriety of the household name IHOP to help promote and make recognizable their religious organization.”  The prayer-themed IHOP started in 1999 and bills itself as a 24/7 place to pray, while the other place is a 24/7 place to get a stack of hotcakes.

It’s a shame it’s got to go to court, since one group’s a charity and all, but when you use someone else’s name in a non-parody way, you’re infringing on their copyright.  Hopefully the two sides can come to some kind or agreement or leasing of naming rights.  Maybe they can sell IHOP at the IHOP!

Tags: IHOP, International House of Pancakes, International House of Prayer, copyright lawsuits, IHOP name battle, unusual lawsuits, unusual copyright lawsuits, court cases, Kansas City, Missouri, legal battles

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