Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant Quince is embroiled in ugly legal battle with luxury clothing start-up of same name after being plagued by bad reviews and returned goods intended for the e-commerce firm

• Quince last week sought a preliminary injunction against retail site Quince.com
• Famed restaurant argues the e-commerce site is diluting its brand
• Quince.com slams the suit as ‘meritless’ and vows to keep using the name

Famed San Francisco restaurant Quince is engaged in an ugly trademark fight with e-commerce startup Quince.com, after accusing the retailer of diluting its brand.

Quince, which has three Michelin stars and has been called one of the world’s top restaurants, last week asked a federal judge for a preliminary injunction barring Quince.com from using the name.

Helmed by chef and co-founder Michael Tusk, Quince complains that it has received at least one negative Yelp review intended for Quince.com, demonstrating customer confusion over the name.

The restaurant also says it has received packages, including one filled with sheepskin rugs, intended as return items for Quince.com, and phone calls with customer service complaints intended for the retailer.

Zachary Briers, an attorney for Quince.com, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the restaurant’s lawsuit is ‘meritless’ and vowed that the e-commerce company would not change its name.

Helmed by chef and co-founder Michael Tusk (pictured), Quince complains that it has received at least one negative Yelp review intended for e-commerce site Quince.com

The restaurant Quince, seen above, has been in business for 20 years, and is one of 12 restaurants in the US with three Michelin stars

‘They sell cashmere sweaters and shearling boots and necklaces and comforters,’ Briers said of Quince.com.

‘A restaurant with a single location does not have the right to exclude others from using similar names in completely unrelated industries.’

Founded in 2018 and led by CEO Sid Gupta, Quince.com was originally known as ‘Last Brand,’ until changing its name around 2020.

The company describes itself as ‘curated online marketplace that sells high-quality fashion and home goods at radically low prices.’

Like the restaurant, the e-commerce site is based in San Francisco, which Quince claims has contributed to customer confusion.

The restaurant Quince has been in business for 20 years, and is one of 12 restaurants in the US with three Michelin stars, the highest rating offered by the famed guidebook.

The restaurant has a registered trademark on Quince for catering services and dining and culinary entertainment events.

Quince also has a pending trademark application for the use of the name for restaurant services and bar services.

Quince.com has trademarks on the name for online retail services and housewares, which are pending challenge from the restaurant.

Founded in 2018 and led by CEO Sid Gupta (above), Quince.com was originally known as ‘Last Brand,’ until changing its name around 2020

The Quince.com website is seen above. The company describes itself as ‘curated online marketplace that sells high-quality fashion and home goods at radically low prices’

According to the lawsuit, Chef Tusk and his wife Lindsay decided to name the eatery after the fruit because ‘unlike an apple, a quince fruit cannot be eaten as-is; rather, the process by which it can be eaten is long and arduous, which is similar to the process of opening and maintaining a restaurant.’

In December of 2022, after noticing odd Yelp reviews, the restaurant says it sent Quince.com a cease-and-desist letter demanding it drop the name.

The restaurant filed a federal trademark suit against the retailer in November of 2023.

According to the lawsuit, Quince.com last month launched a line of cookware that was advertised as ‘Michelin-worthy’, ‘professional grade’ and ‘Made in Italy’.

‘Plaintiff is a three-star Michelin restaurant selling Italian and French food and its Chef, Chef Tusk, routinely partners with cookware brands,’ the restaurant said in a filing last week.

‘These and other instances described further below have resulted in actual confusion, both from Plaintiff’s customers and Defendant’s customers.’

Quince.com has until February 20 to respond to the restaurant’s motion for a preliminary injunction barring its use of the name.

Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin is set to hear oral arguments on the motion on March 21.

Attorneys for Quince and Quince.com did not immediately respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com on Tuesday afternoon.

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