Cease And Desist Burger New Menu Item After In-N-Out Sends Huffy Letter

A “cease and desist burger” has now appeared on the lunch menu of Houston, Texas restaurant Underbelly, owned by chef Chris Shepherd.

On Monday, Shepherd was startled to receive a so-called “cease and desist” letter from the western burger chain In-N-Out. The California chain of almost 300 fast food restaurants is well-known for its own “double double” menu item, which they say is the original hamburger with two pieces of meat and two pieces of cheese.

Whether it is or it isn’t, their lawyers were the first to trademark the term. Shepherd was informed that Underbelly must “cease and desist” calling one of his menu items the UB Double Double immediately.

The Houston chef has done so but not without a chuckle.

According to Eater Houston, Underbelly’s former double double featured “meat for the patties…butchered in the restaurant, the pickles…made in-house and the tomatoes are locally grown heirlooms.”

So, yeah, it’s just a tad different from the In-N-Out chain product.

Shepherd may have lost the name, but he kept his sense of humor. He took to social media to announce the name change for the iconic burger.

The Facebook posting said: “The good people at In-N-Out Burger have taken offense at our humble ‘Double Double’ burger. So, from now on, our menu will feature the ‘Cease and Desist Burger.’ It’s the same burger–just deliciously legal and 100 percent Underbelly.”

Posters on both Twitter and Facebook had fun at In-N-Out’s expense.

As one Facebook commenter said, “I like Cease and Desist better anyway. And I expect your burger sales after this extra publicity to double double…wait, can I say that out loud?”

Here’s a tiny bit of the fun on Twitter:

So much fun today with the great Cease and Desist debate–we're sure In-N-Out is not truly worried about our little (BIG!) burger!

— Underbelly (@UnderbellyHOU) June 18, 2013

In-N-Out Burger has, of course, heard of our Double Double Burger. Henceforth known as the "Cease and Desist Burger." #AskForItByName

— Underbelly (@UnderbellyHOU) June 18, 2013

@UnderbellyHOU @LeprechaunCider It should be wrapped in copies of the C&D order.

— Jeremy Mercer (@NameofWit) June 20, 2013

@NameofWit @UnderbellyHOU Haha like English fish and chips.

— Leprechaun Cider Co. (@LeprechaunCider) June 20, 2013

I think I agree with an observer who said that Underbelly doesn’t need the “double double” name. A “cease and desist burger” is a lot more creative anyway.

[In-N-Out Burger photo by Jess Sawrey via Flickr and Creative Commons]