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News & ArtsFriday, September 25, 2009
Chow Chow Foods vs. Chao Bistro: It's On
Posted by David Schmader on Fri, Sep 25, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Chow Foods is the company responsible for such Seattle restaurants as the Hi-Life in Ballard, the 5 Spot Cafe in Queen Anne, and West Seattle's Endolyne Joe's and the Last Stop Lounge.
Chao Bistro is the new restaurant and bar that opened today at 12th and Pike on Capitol Hill.
Chow Foods is not happy about Chao Bistro. Here's their official press release. Key bits:
Chow Foods is disappointed that Yamashiro's LLC would elect to open a restaurant with the name CHOW Bistro...Yamishiro attempted to placate us by simply changing the spelling from CHOW to CHAO which in print may seem reasonable, but phonetically in speech and audio applications is unacceptable.
A stroll by the just-opened Chao Bistro today revealed a shiny new restaurant with a big new sign and no visible evidence it's planning on changing its name. So now I ask you.
What's your take on Chow Foods vs. Chao Bistro?
4:30 pm: Fascinating updates from Capitol Hill Seattle, which earlier today reported on the lawsuit filed by Chow Foods against Chao Bistro.
Update 3:33 PM After reviewing the complaint, I note the following: 1) Chow Foods only recently sought registrations of "Chow" and "Chow Foods" - having done so on 8/21/09 and 2) Chao may have been able to avoid this suit - had they been more responsive to Chow Foods and forthcoming about their opening date.
Thank you, Capitol Hill Seattle, and stay tuned.
1
Passed by the new restaurant last night and it was full of people - presumably celebrating the upcoming opening.
Great location!
Great location!
2
I think you need another poll option: Chao Bistro is likely to wash out by the end of the year, so this will all be moot soon.
3
...and in the hallway I saw my ex boyfriend, Billy, kissing my ex-girlfriend Sara who best friends with my current boyfriend Steve whose brother, Chris dates Sara....wah
Get over yourselves, people. Stop using your mouths to yap and starting using them to eat!
Get over yourselves, people. Stop using your mouths to yap and starting using them to eat!
4
Who exactly is going to be confused? Chow Foods doesn't have any establishments by that name. Do they really think restaurant patrons give a crap about their corporate name? "Let's go to Chao Bistro" - "You mean Atlas?" - I don't think so.
When I say "Doctor" do you think "Subway" (corporate parent Doctor's Associates, Inc.)?
When I say "Doctor" do you think "Subway" (corporate parent Doctor's Associates, Inc.)?
5
@ Fnarf - Exactly. I go to the 5 Spot fairly often and I never think of it as "Chow". In fact, I have to remember that when they sound out their monthly mailings!
6
Because "Chow" was such a vanguard name to begin with. People that use the term "unacceptable" in their argument are generally insufferable to begin with.
P.S., while you've got your letterhead out, there's an Atlas cafe by my house in SF, too.
P.S., while you've got your letterhead out, there's an Atlas cafe by my house in SF, too.
13
I have enjoyed eating at many Chao Foods restaurants in the past - like Ciao Bella in Wedgwood, Chau Cafe Deli on Rainier, Chao Praya in Madrona, and Pho My Chau on MLK - but this is ridiculous! Please join me in boycotting this chain. I still don't understand why they are boycotting their own 5th restaurant.
14
I've been to several of Chow, Inc's restaurants dozens of times over the years, and never knew what their corporate name was. Nor do I give a flying fuck. And how could they possibly think they have any ownership rights over as generic a term as "chow"?
Lame.
Pathetic crybabies.
Lame.
Pathetic crybabies.
15
Having worked for Chow, trust me when I tell you that the two owners are evil, cheap, slave driving motherfuckers of the highest order.
fuck them and the dying, poorly paid, overworked horse they rode in on.
fuck them and the dying, poorly paid, overworked horse they rode in on.
20
I am an attorney...and would be happy to represent Chao in this lawsuit. Slam Dunk. Chow is a descriptive word and would be very difficult to defend regardless. And the fact that it's not spelled the same and the fact that Chow Foods is not trademarked under a restaurant itself, would land no case. Atlas restaurant is going out of business and the partners at Chow Foods is splitting up. Can anybody tell me why they would spend money on such a ridiculous lawsuit. Doesn't qualify under a Frivilous Lawsuit, but if it was up to me, Chao should be allow to fight back. Ridiculous.
21
Chao could be problematic - especially if things don't work out - and people start pluralizing Chao. OTOH, why don't the Bird and Fruit families sue Lark and Plum for stealing their names. Silly stupid corporations.
22
Next thing you know they'll sue Cheryl Chow for having been an elected politician in Seattle ...
Now excuse me while I go find some chow mein to eat.
Now excuse me while I go find some chow mein to eat.
23
Why are there so many restaurants in Seattle with "bistro" in their names? If you have to add bistro to a name to make it feel complete, you need to think of a new name. "Lounge" is almost as bad.
26
really? this is ridiculous. When you go to Atlas or the 5 spot, you don't think "Chow Foods, Inc". They are just a corporate chain that needs money right now. Is one of the restaurants tanking right now or something?! c'mon Chow Foods. Why are you trying to cause trouble, because there are plenty of other places with "Chow, chao, ciao, etc..." or names that phonetically sound like your corporate name.
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