Carnegie v. Carnegie: Concert Hall and Diner Face Off in Court

Carnegie Hall, the historic concert venue in New York City, filed a lawsuit against Carnegie Diner & Café, a restaurant located across the street from the venue, accusing the latter of confusing customers and tarnishing the hall's prestigious brand. Carnegie Hall claims the diner is freeriding on its reputation and seeks damages and an injunction against any suggested affiliation. The diner argues that their patrons are not confusing the two and that the hall’s involvement in the lawsuit is an insult. Intellectual property attorneys  say customers may be legitimately confused due to the crossover between entertainment companies and food services.

Intellectual property attorneys say customers may be legitimately confused due to the crossover between entertainment companies and food services. As an example, Finnegan partner Chip Rettew told The Wall Street Journal, “You have Disney, you have American Girl café. The big question here is whether enough people are likely to believe that Carnegie Hall went that route too.”

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