Cult Favorite Convenience Store Buc-ees Sues Liquor Store Duckees Over Trademark Infringement Claims

Buc-ee’s is suing a liquor store in Missouri, Duckees over claims for trademark infringement. (Photo: Buc-ee’s/Instagram)

The Springfield News-Leader reported on Tuesday that convenience store and gas station chain Buc-ee’s is suing a Missouri drive-thru liquor store named Duckees over claims of trademark infringement.

Buc-ee’s is known for its cartoon beaver logo over a yellow circle with black outlining for the mascot, and the retailer claims the Duckees cartoon duck logo is too similar. The Duckees logo features a cartoon duck wearing a green shirt with sunglasses over a yellow circle.

The Missouri retailer Duckees has a logo with a cartoon duck and a yellow circle. (Photo: Duckees/Instagram)

Duckees is also under fire from the convenience store giant for using its logo on merchandise. Buc-ee’s additionally claims the name “Duckees” alone is too similar to Buc-ee’s.

Convenience Store News reported that the lawsuit was given to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark.

“The DUCKEE’S word trademark DUCKEES copies the most important aspects of the BUC-EE’s Word Trademark,” the lawsuit read, according to Convenience Store News. “The DUCKEE’S Word Trademark DUCKEES, among other things, is nearly identical both orally and visually to the BUC-EE’s Word Trademark BUC-EE’s.”

Buc-ee’s argued the confusion generated from the Duckees logo “places the valuable reputation and goodwill of Buc-ee’s in the hands of Duckees, over whom Buc-ee’s has no control.” Buc-ee’s demands that Duckees destroy any of its branded products with the logo, is seeking damages and wants an injunction against Duckees for using its name and logo.

Buc-ee’s is no stranger to litigation. In 2018, the gas station took a Texas restaurant, Choke Canyon Bar-B-Q, to court for claims of trademark infringement, according to The San Antonio Current. In that instance, the logo was slightly different, but it featured a cartoon alligator on a yellow background. The jury ruled in favor of Buc-ee’s.

Buc-ee’s is a popular convenience store and gas station chain that is open 24 hours and is known for its homemade fudge and clean restrooms. The retailer sells beer and wine. There are 50 Buc-ee’s locations in the U.S. as of October, according to the data company Scrape Hero.

Buc-ee’s is known for using its beaver logo on merchandise. (Photo: Buc-ee’s/Instagram)

“It’s just the Disney World of convenience stores,” the general manager of Buc-ee’s Florence location said in January, per WRAL News. “Our mantra is clean, friendly and in stock.”