Viacom Wins Injunction Against SpongeBob-Themed Restaurant

Viacom International Inc. convinced a Houston federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction against an unauthorized SpongeBob SquarePants-themed pop-up restaurant and bar called The Rusty Krab.

Viacom owns the popular SpongeBob cartoon franchise, numerous associated trademarks, and over 400 related copyrights. The company argued it would suffer irreparable harm because consumers falsely believe that The Rusty Krab is associated with Viacom.

The restaurant, owned by Pixi Universal LLC, has SpongeBob themed menu items and recreations of various iconic SpongeBob characters. The establishment’s name is a play on The Krusty Krab, a fictional fast-food restaurant from the show and a registered ...