Tahir Mehmet, co-owner of the Coffee Studio with two London cafes, applied to trademark the slogan 'Eat Drink Work' in 2024. The application was opposed by Old Kentucky Restaurants, a subsidiary of Mitchells & Butlers, which owns brands like Toby Carvery and Harvester. Mitchells & Butlers argues the phrase is too similar to its 'Eat Drink Meet' trademark.
Mitchells & Butlers, a FTSE 250 company, reported revenues of £1.5bn in the first half of the year, operates over 1,800 venues, and employs more than 44,000 people. In contrast, the Coffee Studio employs just 14 staff across its branches in Greenwich and Battersea.
Small Business vs Corporate Giant
Mehmet said the legal battle is daunting but he is determined to fight with help from law firm Trade Mark Wizards, whose directors include Lord Alan Sugar. 'When you're independent, you feel every decision in a way a big company never has to. They have legal teams and budgets built for this,' Mehmet told the Guardian. 'We have a coffee business we've poured everything into. So yes, there are moments it feels like standing in front of something far bigger than you, wondering whether you're mad even to try.'
He added: 'But there's another feeling underneath that one, and it's stronger: we're in the right. If three simple words can be contested, what does that mean for every independent trying to build something of their own? We don't have a giant's resources, but we have a community behind us and a clear conscience case we believe in.'
Impact on Business Operations
The dispute, which could take up to two years to reach the intellectual property office tribunal due to backlogs, has already delayed merchandise plans, signage design, menu reprints, and business expansion. Resources are being diverted towards legal costs.
Mitchells & Butlers operates an 'Eat Drink Meet' website and app serving as a restaurant and pub guide. The Coffee Studio plans to file its defence to Old Kentucky Restaurants this month.
Support from Lord Sugar
Lord Sugar said: 'Small businesses should be able to build their brands without feeling intimidated by the resources of much larger organisations that throw their weight around. Trademark law exists to protect genuine brands and innovation. It should not create an environment where independent businesses feel pressured into abandoning ideas.'
Oliver Oguz, managing director of Trade Mark Wizards, commented: 'Our client created the phrase 'Eat Drink Work' to describe what people do every day in modern cafes and flexible working spaces. These are ordinary English words used in an ordinary way. We believe this case raises important questions about where legitimate brand protection ends and where overly aggressive enforcement begins.'
Mitchells & Butlers declined to comment.
