WASHINGTON — A popular D.C. burger chain is hopeful customers don’t mix it up with a Russian business that could be considering using the same name.
Z-Burger, which has locations in Tenleytown, Columbia Heights and Dupont Circle, among other places, is well known for its Fourth of July burger eating contests and special promotions like selling two-cent burgers on 2/2/22.
However, a few weeks ago, the restaurant became aware of an effort led by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade to rename McDonald’s restaurants across Russia.
In March, McDonald’s announced it would halt the operations of its roughly 800 company-run restaurants in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
On the social media website, Telegram, the Russian Ministry asked its citizens what the old McDonald’s restaurants should be renamed. The ministry announced the businesses had recently come under the control of Russian businessman Alexander Govor.
Multiple outlets, including Newsweek and the Daily Mail UK reported the name “Z-Burger” was brought up frequently in the Telegram thread's comments. The latter publication even reported that the name “Z-Burger” was ultimately chosen as the new name for the country’s old McDonald’s locations.
The Russian equivalent of Facebook, VK.com, also has a page set up named “Z-Бургер,” or Z-Burger, that displays burgers and pizzas with names reminiscent of Russian weapons and phrases like Avanguard, Kremlin, and the Sukhoi Su-57. However, it is not clear if the page has any official relationship with Govor’s burger chain.
It also remains unclear if Govor actually decided to name any of his restaurants Z-Burger. Over the weekend, the Associated Press claimed he planned to rebrand some of the restaurants “Vkusno-i Tochka” (Tasty-period).
The usage of the letter “Z” has been widespread during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It has been marked on Russian tanks and uniforms.
However, Z-Burger, in D.C., has been around longer. The chain, which dates back to 2004, now has Ukrainian flags in its Tenleytown location.
The chain’s founder Peter Tabibian says his business has already gotten questions about the matter.
“I have people calling me and asking ‘are you associated with Russia?’,” he said. “I said, ‘no, I had the Z-Burger name first.”
Tabibian said he plans to work with a trademark lawyer to see if anything can be done on his business’ behalf. He said it would damage his business’ reputation to be confused as pro-Russia.
“McDonald’s has left Russia and Coca-Cola has left and we definitely don’t want to be associated with the Russian government,” Tabibian. “We are behind the Ukrainian people.”
He added that he now plans to donate $3,000 toward the Ukrainians’ efforts. He adds, if anything, the “Z” in his business’ name should be associated with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine.
“We want to help the Ukrainian people. We are all behind the Ukrainian people. ‘Z’ for Zelensky,” he said.