LOS ANGELES Wolfgang Zwiener, owner of the Wolfgang’s Steakhouse concept, has reportedly filed a countersuit against Wolfgang Puck in a dispute over the use of the name “Wolfgang’s” on a new Zwiener-owned location in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Last month, Puck sued Zwiener for alleged trademark infringement and unfair competition after the New York operator opened a location of his Wolfgang’s Steakhouse a few blocks away from both Puck’s flagship restaurant Spago and his new steakhouse, CUT. In the lawsuit, Puck alleges that customers believe the Zwiener-owned steakhouse is part of Puck’s fine dining group because of the “Wolfgang’s” in the name.
Puck’s lawsuit charges Zwiener with violating an earlier agreement that the former Peter Luger waiter use his full name on Wolfgang’s Steakhouse locations outside New York, where the chain is based. The Beverly Hills location prominently features the name “Wolfgang’s Steakhouse” on its sign, with the tagline “by Wolfgang Zwiener” appearing in smaller type.
In his countersuit, Zwiener alleges that Puck is violating his end of the name-use agreement. Zwiener also said that Puck has refused to meet with him to discuss ways to address the allegations of confusion.
“I will not allow Puck to prevent me from using my name at my Beverly Hills steakhouse simply because he claims that some of his friends and patrons have been ‘confused,’” said Peter Zwiener, Wolfgang Zwiener’s son and co-owner of the restaurant. “We chose Beverly Hills, Calif., for our first steakhouse outside New York because there was enormous demand by our clientele to open an outpost in L.A., and L.A. is home to many transplanted New Yorkers.”