05/09/2025
Burger King can’t use its name within 20 miles of another Burger King in Illinois.
It may seem surprising, but Burger King, the global fast-food chain, can’t use its name everywhere in the United States. Specifically, there is a 20-mile radius around Mattoon, Illinois, where Burger King cannot use its name—and it all comes down to a local restaurant that shares the same name.
In Mattoon, there exists an unrelated restaurant also called Burger King, which opened long before the global fast-food giant. The original Burger King, founded in 1953 in Mattoon, Illinois, operated under the same name as the worldwide chain but was not affiliated with the larger company. When the larger Burger King Corporation expanded across the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s, it had to negotiate with the local restaurant to resolve the trademark conflict.
The agreement? Burger King Corporation can use its name everywhere in the United States except for a 20-mile radius around Mattoon, Illinois. This means that any new Burger King locations built within that area must operate under a different name, even though the Mattoon Burger King no longer exists.
The mathematical, legal, and business complexities of this agreement make for a fascinating chapter in trademark law, where one small local business held enough ground to force a large corporation like Burger King to adjust its branding. The situation in Mattoon is a unique example of how local businesses can sometimes stand their ground, even against the biggest players in the global market.
While it may seem like a quirky fact, this name restriction is a classic case of trademark law and the importance of protecting a brand.
P.S.
Fun Fact:
The original Mattoon Burger King was not a fast-food chain but a family-owned restaurant, predating the famous chain by several years!