Applebee’s, IHOP sued over sugar substitute knockoff

The little yellow packets on the tables of Applebee’s and International House of Pancakes restaurants are no substitute for Splenda, according to a lawsuit filed Monday. 

Carmel, Indiana-based Heartland Consumer Products L.L.C., which owns Splenda, is suing DineEquity Inc., the Glendale, California-based owners of Applebee’s and IHOP, for trademark infringement for allegedly misleading diners who think they are being served Splenda when they are really consuming a Chinese-made knockoff, according to the Indianapolis Star.

“Employees of IHOP and Applebee’s restaurants have misrepresented to consumers that the product being provided to the consumer is Splenda,” reads the 23-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. “Heartland has received multiple reports of actual confused customers,” the lawsuit reads.

The suit is identical to one filed in November against Canton, Massachusetts-based Dunkin’ Donuts, alleging the chain was selling a similar Chinese-made sweetener in yellow packages. The two sides settled in February with the terms of the agreement unknown, according to the newspaper.