Patents, Trademarks and Hamburgers: Steak n Shake Settles With Burger King

Steak n Shake, Burger King settle lawsuit:

"Steak n Shake Co. has changing the name of its miniature Steakburgers to settle a trademark-infringement lawsuit brought by Miami-based Burger King Corp.

The Indianapolis-based chain was slapped with a lawsuit last month after it unveiled slider-style hamburgers called Steakburger Shots, a moniker Burger King said was 'confusingly similar' to its trademarked BK Burger Shots, BK Breakfast Shots and BK Chicken Shots.

The mini-burgers at Steak n Shake now are known as Shooters.

Steak n Shake CEO Sardar Biglari said at the chain's annual meeting Friday that he simply called Burger King CEO John Chidsey and worked out the dispute over the phone.

In the lawsuit, Burger King had said it registered the names with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and began promoting them in February 2008, well before its competitor unveiled 'identical' products."