| Krispy Kream Drive-In | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Krispy Kream Drive-In | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Location | Belsano, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 40°31′04″N 78°51′55″W / 40.5179°N 78.8653°W |
| Website | www |
Krispy Kream Drive-In is a drive-in restaurant and ice cream parlor located in Belsano, Pennsylvania, off of U.S. Route 422. From 2004 to 2009, they were involved in litigation with doughnut chain restaurant Krispy Kreme over their use of the similar name. The case was settled in 2009 on the condition that Krispy Kream would not sell doughnuts and that they would keep "Drive-In" in their name.
Restaurant
[edit]Krispy Kream Drive-In serves ice cream and soft serve alongside hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and other basic American-style fare.[1] The restaurant serves eight rotating varieties of hard ice cream and thirty varieties of soft serve. It has a carport to protect customers from precipitation. Customers park, and then place their order at one of three walk-up ordering windows.[1] WTAJ noted they have one of the highest Yelp scores of ice cream stores in Cambria County.[2]
Lawsuit with Krispy Kreme
[edit]The name of the restaurant bears a strong resemblance to doughnut chain Krispy Kreme. In 2004, a Krispy Kreme employee visiting the chain's locations in Western Pennsylvania spotted the restaurant as he drove along U.S. Route 422. In September 2004, Krispy Kream received a letter from Krispy Kreme asking them to cease using the name.[1] The owners had been aware of the possibility that Krispy Kreme could object to their name, and when Crissy Hoover read the letter, her reaction was, "Oh, boy, Krispy Kreme found us."[1]
In 2005, the Krispy Kreme offered an agreement in which Krispy Kream would continue to use the name for five years, after which they would change their name.[1] John Metz, a local owner of Krispy Kreme franchises, objected to Krispy Kreme's legal threats, saying, "This is ridiculous. How much could they [Krispy Kream Drive-In] hurt us?"[3] Krispy Kream declined to change their name and retained an attorney, who quipped that, "If I have to work for ice cream, that's how it's going to be."[4] In 2009, Krispy Kreme ended the lawsuit, allowing Krispy Kream to continue using the name as long as they do not sell doughnuts and continued to use "Drive-In" as part of their name.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Sapp, Darrell (November 28, 2004). "Doughnut giant might sue over name". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on September 15, 2024.
- ^ Shannon, Bill (June 20, 2023). "Get Scooped: The best ice cream shops in Central Pennsylvania, according to Yelp". Altoona, Pennsylvania: WTAJ. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
- ^ Reed Ward, Paula (January 17, 2005). "Tiny ice 'Kream' shop wants to keep its name". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
- ^ "Doughnut firm may sue over name of drive-in". United Press International. November 29, 2004. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
- ^ Reabuck, Sandra K. (April 3, 2009). "Sweet victory: Local ice cream stand no threat, Krispy Kreme concedes". The Tribune-Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved May 21, 2025.