12-05-2025
Why Burger King is banned from one small town in Illinois
Burger King fans will be disappointed to learn they can't have it their way in a small town in Illinois.
The global fast-food giant is actually banned from operating in Mattoon thanks to a legal battle that stretches back decades.
Known as the 'Original Burger King,' the Illinois restaurant was founded by Gene and Betty Hoots in 1957.
The national Burger King chain, founded in 1954, didn't open its first Illinois location until 1961.
And by 1967, it had 50 stores in the state — including one in nearby Champaign, just 40 miles from Mattoon.
The Hoots took the corporation to court in 1968, and a federal judge sided with the mom-and-pop operation.
The ruling barred the fast-food giant from opening any locations within a 20-mile radius of Mattoon — a ban that still holds today.
Even after a change in ownership and attempts to revise the agreement, the ban remains ironclad. At one point, Burger King reportedly offered the Hoots $10,000 to back off. Betty Hoots later told the Illinois Times they told the chain to 'get lost.'
The restaurant chain's unique case has been featured in studies discussed in intellectual property rights courses in law schools.
One of the institutions that discussed the case was Columbia University, where the Hoots' daughter-in-law attended.
'She was sitting in class one day, half-listening to the professor, when he said, 'Today we'll discuss Hoots v. Burger King.' That got her attention,' Betty recalled.
'Apparently our struggle became a landmark case.'
The lawsuit was also a significant matter related to the Lanham Act, a US trademark law that protects trademark owners against unauthorized use.
Today, the Original Burger King is still standing, and owned by Gene and Betty's longtime manager Ernie Drummond and his wife Jodi.
The restaurant chain continues to be known for its 'fast, friendly service' and 'fresh, never frozen' hamburgers.
Guests have given the eatery rave reviews for several years, insisting the restaurant has 'good options' with a 'great story to tell.'
Mattoon currently has a population of less than 17,000, and its Burger King restaurant's case has been discussed in various law schools
Burger King continues to be one of the largest fast-food chains in the world.
Approximately 19,000 locations operate worldwide, and nearly 6,800 are in the US.
The restaurant chain has shown no signs of slowing down, but a major franchisee filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April.
It is unclear if Burger King has put in another offer to build a location in Mattoon or anywhere within 20 miles of the town.
has reached out to Burger King for comment regarding its attempt to operate a location in or around Mattoon.
