The case dates to a May 2016 application by the Galway-based firm to register “Supermac’s” as an EU trademark for fast food restaurant services. McDonald’s opposed it, pointing out that “Big Mac” had been registered for meat sandwiches since December 1998. In an unreported decision from the end of June, the appeal board rejected Supermac’s claim that there was no reasonable likelihood the public would mistake one for the other, upholding a EUIPO ruling from June 2025 in favour of the McDonald’s International Property Company.

McDonald’s countered that any coexistence in Ireland was irrelevant, as the question was whether a conflict existed across the EU, where it argued “Big Mac” is a universally famous mark. For now the decision stings on paper only at home, even as Dublin’s fast food scene keeps expanding. RTÉ reported the outcome does not change how Supermac’s operates in Ireland.