Does TA have a Federal Registration for all TA Marks used by Petro Stopping Center?
Petro_Stopping_Center Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Applications for registration on the Principal Register of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have been filed for the following TA Marks:
Service Mark: HWY KITCHEN
Application No.: 98245989
Application Date: October 30, 2023
Service Mark: HWY KITCHEN (STYLISED)
Application No.: 98246005
Application Date: October 30, 2023
Applications for registration on the Supplemental Register of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have been filed for the following TA Marks:
None.
TA does not have a Federal Registration for the TA Marks for which applications are pending as listed above. Therefore, these TA Marks do not have as many legal benefits and rights as a federally registered service mark or trademark. If your right to use any of these unregistered TA Marks is challenged, you may have to change to an alternative service mark or trademark which may increase your expenses.
Source: Item 13 — TRADEMARKS (FDD pages 56–65)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Petro Stopping Center's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, TA does not have federal registrations for all TA Marks. Specifically, applications are pending for "HWY KITCHEN" and "HWY KITCHEN (STYLISED)," but TA does not have a federal registration for these marks. Because these TA Marks do not have a federal registration, they do not have as many legal benefits and rights as a federally registered service mark or trademark.
TA Operating also does not have a Federal Registration for the TA Operating Marks for which applications are pending. TA Operating claims common law rights from its exclusive use, protection and enforcement of the TA Operating Marks listed above from the date of their first use. None of these TA Operating Marks are registered in any state.
If a prospective Petro Stopping Center franchisee's right to use any of these unregistered TA Operating Marks is challenged, they may have to change to an alternative service mark or trademark which may increase expenses. Petro Franchise has the right to control any administrative proceedings or litigation involving a service mark or trademark licensed to the franchisee and will take action it thinks is appropriate, but it is not required to defend the franchisee against a claim against the use of the Marks. The franchisee will assist Petro Franchise, TA Operating, and TA as necessary in defending the Marks.