Peter Luger ends lawsuit over rival steakhouse's name
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Peter Luger, the famed New York City steakhouse, has ended its trademark infringement lawsuit against the owner of the Carl von Luger Steak & Seafood restaurant in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
In a Wednesday court filing, Peter Luger said it voluntarily dismissed its case against Robert Dickert and his company Carl von Luger LLC, following settlement talks.
Dickert opened his restaurant in 2011, but Peter Luger accused him of trying to confuse diners by marketing his restaurant's "age old family tradition" as having continued "since 1887," the year the Michelin-starred Peter Luger opened.
According to the Carl von Luger website, Dickert named his restaurant for his father Carl, who was Peter Luger's nephew. The Peter Luger and Carl von Luger restaurants are not related.
Neither Dickert nor his lawyer was immediately available for comment. A lawyer for Peter Luger was also not immediately available.
Located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, Peter Luger is famed for its dry-aged steaks, especially its porterhouse, and has been named New York City's top steakhouse by Zagat's every year since 1979.
It sued on May 18 after fielding inquiries about its Florida expansion plans, prompted by a news article about Dickert's intent to open a Carl von Luger branch next year in North Palm Beach.
The case is Peter Luger Inc v Carl von Luger LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 17-03767.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Andrew Hay)
