Delhi Court Restrains Rampur Restaurant from Using 'Karim's Food' Name, Awards Rs 2 Lakh to Karim's Delhi Chain
A Delhi commercial court restrained a Rampur restaurant from using the name 'Karim's Food', ruling it was deceptively similar to the iconic Karim's Mughlai restaurant chain of Delhi. The court awarded Rs 2 lakh in punitive damages to Karim's, which has operated since 1913 and holds registered trademarks. The Rampur outlet failed to respond, and the court found likelihood of consumer confusion and damage to Karim's goodwill.
The Delhi Commercial Court, presided over by District Judge Sanjeev Kumar Malhotra, passed an order on October 18, 2025, permanently restraining a Rampur-based restaurant from using the name 'Karim's Food'. The court held that the name was phonetically and conceptually identical to the trademarked and renowned 'Karim's' restaurant chain in Delhi, known for its Mughlai cuisine since 1913. The plaintiff, Karim Hotels Pvt. Ltd., holds multiple registered trademarks under the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and has a legacy of over a century.In June 2024, Karim's discovered the Rampur restaurant operating under a very similar name and serving the same type of cuisine. Despite legal notices sent to the Rampur outlet, they failed to respond or appear in court. The court applied the standard of an average consumer's general impression, concluding that the phonetic similarities would confuse consumers and lead to passing off the Rampur restaurant's food as that of the established Karim's chain.The court found that the Rampur restaurant dishonestly adopted the name to benefit from Karim's goodwill. While Karim's claimed Rs 10 lakh in damages, the court awarded Rs 2 lakh as punitive damages due to lack of evidence for direct financial loss but recognized harm to goodwill and reputation. The court emphasized the balance of convenience favored Karim's, given their long-standing use of the mark and the irreparable injury the misuse would cause. The order prohibits the Rampur restaurant and its agents from using 'Karim's Food' or any deceptively similar mark in the future.
