April 24, 2025  Copyright ©️ 2025 by goldkeen International Patent & Trademark Joint Office

 

 

Who was the first to use the iconic name “Mei Er Mei Breakfast Shop” (美而美早餐店)?

According to trademark text and design searches, the earliest application was filed in 1986 (Minguo Year 75) by Julin Food Enterprise, under the Class 43 designation for breakfast shops. This trademark—“Julin Mei Er Mei” (巨林美而美)—is still actively registered and protected today.

Following that came other variations, such as:

• Ruilin Mei Er Mei (瑞麟美而美)
• Good Morning! Mei Er Mei (早安!美而美)
• Longfeng Mei Er Mei (龍鳳美而美)
• Dongfang Mei Mei Er Mei (東方美美而美)
• Little China Mei Er Mei (小中華美而美)

📄 In case records, Julin Food filed a trademark evaluation request three years after Ruilin Mei Er Mei successfully registered its own version. Ironically, Julin’s own 2002 (Minguo 91) registration for "Mei Er Mei" was later opposed and the opposition upheld in 2005 by Ruilin’s trademark holder.

Ultimately, “Mei Er Mei” was deemed a weak trademark—a conclusion supported by two rulings from the former Administrative Court in rulings No. 2110 (1996) and No. 581 (1998).

Since all “Mei Er Mei” trademarks include added qualifiers like Julin or Ruilin, no single trademark holder can claim exclusive rights to “Mei Er Mei” alone.

This serves as a lesson:
A trademark must possess distinctiveness to be approved for exclusive use by the IP Office.

However, if the owner fails to actively protect and enforce their trademark—by pursuing legal action against similar brands—the name may fade into generic use, as in the case of this now-iconic name that has become synonymous with traditional Taiwanese breakfast shops across every street corner.

 

Simple Q&A on Trademark and “Mei Er Mei” Breakfast Shops

Q1. Can I open a “Mei Er Mei” breakfast shop myself?

A. Yes, you can. However, to make your store more memorable, it's best to add other distinctive words before "Mei Er Mei."
Also, be sure to search for trademarks beyond just "Mei Er Mei" to check whether the added name is already registered by someone else.

Q2. I'm just opening one breakfast shop. Do I really need to register a trademark?

A. Yes! “Apply for a trademark before you do marketing.”
This helps ensure the name you create doesn’t accidentally infringe on someone else’s trademark rights. In short, it helps prevent trademark infringement.

Q3. I might launch a chain restaurant in the future, but I haven’t established a company yet. What should I do?

A. A trademark can be applied for under an individual’s name—you don’t have to start a company.
If you have partners, the trademark can be jointly applied for under multiple names. Later on, it can be licensed to a company once it’s established.

Q4. Is the Mei Er Mei in the U.S. related to the one in Taiwan?

A. Actually, trademark protection is territorial.
Registering a trademark in Taiwan does not grant exclusive rights worldwide.
In the U.S., applications are reviewed by the USPTO, which examines for distinctiveness, conflicts with existing trademarks, and whether proof of use is sufficient.
According to a post from "Cafe Mei" on Facebook, it has no affiliation with any “Mei Er Mei” in Taiwan.

 

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