A Spanish restaurant chain named “The Mafia Sits at the Table” may soon be forced to change its name. Spain’s patent and trademark authority ruled that the brand conflicts with public order and morality following objections from the Italian government.
The chain, known in Spanish as La Mafia se sienta a la mesa, has been at the centre of a long-running legal dispute between the company and Italian authorities. Italy argues that the name trivialises organised crime and undermines efforts to combat it.
The decision by the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office declared the brand name invalid, agreeing with Italy’s position that referencing the mafia in a commercial context is inappropriate.
Long legal battle
Italy has pursued the case for several years through courts and intellectual property bodies, arguing that using the word “mafia” for a restaurant brand creates a misleading and positive association with a criminal organisation responsible for serious crimes.
In 2018, the European Union Intellectual Property Office also ruled against the brand. It stated that the name conveyed a “globally positive image” of the mafia and could offend victims of organised crime and their families. That ruling concluded that the trademark could shock individuals across the European Union who encounter the brand.
The latest decision by the Spanish authority echoes similar concerns. It states the restaurant name directly reproduces the name of a real criminal organisation whose activities remain an ongoing reality rather than a distant or fictional concept.
In its challenge, the Italian government argued that the term refers to a global criminal network involved in serious offences including drug and weapons trafficking, money laundering, corruption and murder.
Italian officials have long campaigned internationally against the commercial or cultural trivialisation of mafia groups, including organisations such as the Cosa Nostra, Camorra and ‘Ndrangheta.
Restaurant chain may appeal
The restaurant company said the decision was “unprecedented in Spain” and confirmed it is considering filing an appeal. Company representatives argued that the name was inspired by a recipe book rather than organised crime and that the term “mafia” has evolved into a broader cultural reference used in literature, film and entertainment.
They also noted that the brand had successfully renewed its trademark several times in Spain over the past two decades.
According to the company, it had attempted to discuss the issue with the Italian embassy in Spain but had not been given the opportunity to explain the origin of the brand.
Despite distancing itself from criminal connotations, the company acknowledged that it may now need to reconsider its branding strategy if the ruling stands. For now, the chain says its focus remains on continuing to develop its restaurants and offering what it describes as a high-quality Italian-Mediterranean dining experience.
