Pastry Chef Dominique Ansel has trademarked his Cronut and been listed by TIME Tech in the “25 Best Inventions of 2013”. Registration with the USPTO gives him the enhanced ability to sue copycatters for infringement. Restaurant owners should be careful not to name a similarly inspired product with a confusingly similar name or risk finding themselves on the wrong end of a lawsuit. The Dominique Ansel Bakery at 189 Spring Street in New York City has a monopoly over its croissant donut hybrid that uses a proprietary recipe and cooking technique. The bakery offers only one flavor each month. To learn more, visit the bakery’s website to read about “Cronut® 101.”
[Link: Dominiqueansel.com/cronut-101]