Techdirt's latest column takes In-N-Out to task for what it describes as an egregious trademark dispute. The article notes that the West Coast burger chain has long been viewed as a trademark bully, with a history of aggressive enforcement actions.
The piece argues that the latest case goes too far, comparing the situation to "shooting a gift horse in the face." Techdirt suggests the target of the action was not a bad actor, making the legal pushback particularly hard to justify.
According to the article, In-N-Out's conduct reflects a broader pattern of using trademark law to stifle rather than protect, and Techdirt criticizes the chain for choosing to attack rather than accept a harmless gesture.