In-N-Out Sued This Small Burger Chain - Now It's 'Nameless' - Tasting Table

"In 2018, In-N-Out sued an Australian tribute restaurant, called Down N' Out, for trademark infringement. Down N' Out was a tiny chain, if we could even call it that, since it only ever had two locations. Nonetheless, it made enough of an impact with its existence that In-N-Out felt the need to ring up lawyers. The idea behind Down N' Out was to pay tribute to the revered Californian chain. But unlike Hungry Jacks, the Australian franchise of Burger King, Down N' Out did so completely independently."

"The similar name and association with burgers were not the only things that bothered In-N-Out. The Australians created several logos featuring the signature yellow arrow and even added a "Tiger Style" option on the menu, in a clear reference to In-N-Out's famous Animal Style. The lawsuit ended up going In-N-Out's favor, with Down N' Out playfully renaming itself Nameless Bar."

"Following the lawsuit, the newly renamed Nameless Bar fell on hard times. The verdict came through in summer 2020, and by fall 2021, the place shut down as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This unfortunate outcome didn't keep the owners down and out for long, though. They kept following their vision, creating a new burger bar called High N' Dry, still operational as of May 2026."

In-N-Out has a limited geographic reach, which can create strong demand and feelings of missing out in other regions. In 2018, In-N-Out sued an Australian tribute restaurant named Down N' Out for trademark infringement. Down N' Out operated only two locations but used a similar name and burger-focused branding. Its logos featured the signature yellow arrow, and the menu included a “Tiger Style” option referencing In-N-Out’s “Animal Style.” The lawsuit concluded in In-N-Out’s favor, and Down N' Out rebranded as Nameless Bar. After the 2020 verdict, the business struggled and closed in fall 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The owners later created High N' Dry, which remained operating as of May 2026.

Read at Tasting Table