The restaurant chain — which uses the Web site IHOP.com — said the Kansas City church, (IHOP.org), is intentionally misleading customers.
“We’ve asked International House of Prayer to stop using the name because it is our protected trademark,” said IHOP spokesman Patrick Lenow. “They’ve refused and it’s confusing our guests.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, said the church “intended to misappropriate the fame and notoriety of the household name IHOP to help promote and make recognizable their religious organization.”
The restaurant chain, which started in 1958, has used the acronym since 1973.
The church declined to discuss the suit beyond a brief statement.
