ST. LOUIS, MO – A U.S. District judge ruled Monday that the food truck known as the Mangia Mobile has to stop using its name.

In July the popular Tower Grove restaurant, Mangia Italiano, sued Mangia Mobile for having a “deceptively similar” name.  Mangia Italiano accused the truck operators of using the name to deliberately confuse customers into thinking that the companies were affiliated.  One of the restaurant’s own servers even believed the two were related, according to court documents.

The food truck said, however, that the name used a common Italian word — mangia, meaning “eat” — and there was no deliberate deception.  The truck’s attorney proposed a “toasted ravioli smackdown” between the two companies to determine which produces the best dish The winner would get to keep the name.

On Monday, Judge Carol E. Jackson issued a preliminary injunction, saying the food truck has to stop using the name.  Jackson wrote that the food truck “has taken advantage of the reputation and goodwilll plaintiff has acquired in its 28 years of business. Defendant’s public statements and cavalier attitude suggest that its motivation for doing so was either to make a fast buck or for publicity or both– all at defendant’s expense.”

A hearing will be held Tuesday to determine what steps the food truck needs to take to comply with the court’s decision.

Please note: Mobile Cuisine Magazine will continue to follow this story and update you as it changes. The next thing we know, some restaurant is going to sue a food truck over the use of “food” in their name next.

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