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Dunkin' Donuts applies for 'Bagel Bunchkin' trademark

October 15, 2012

Will Dunkin' Donuts soon have a bagel version of its popular donut hole Munchkins? According to Boston.com, the chain has applied for the trademark, "Bagel Bunchkin."

The company has a snack-sized bagel hole stuffed with a jalapeno-spiced sausage in its South Korean stores, and consumers have reported seeing similar offerings in test at some U.S. stores.

Dunkin' Donuts rolled out a Bagel Twist in 2010.

A trademark lawyer told Boston.com that companies are not allowed to apply for trademarks unless they are already using the brand name or intend to do so within a few years.

The Bunchkin name was tentatively rejected in the spring after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office noted that a supermarket chain already registered the rights to a similar name for its bagel line. Dunkin' Donuts has the next month to appeal that decision.

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