Trademark Class 43: Food Services | Complete Filing Guide
Everything you need to file a trademark in Class 43. Covers restaurants, hotels, catering, bars, and temporary accommodation.
Class 43 covers restaurant services, catering, hotels, and temporary accommodation. Restaurants, hotels, bars, and catering companies file here.
What Class 43 Covers
Class 43 includes services for providing food and drink, and temporary accommodation.
The class covers:
- Restaurants - Restaurant services, cafes, fast food
- Bars and beverages - Bar services, coffee shops
- Catering - Catering services, event catering
- Accommodation - Hotels, motels, vacation rentals
Included in Class 43
Restaurants:
- Restaurant services
- Cafe services
- Fast food services
- Food truck services
- Takeout services
- Dine-in services
Bars and Beverages:
- Bar services
- Wine bar services
- Coffee shop services
- Juice bar services
- Cocktail lounges
Catering:
- Catering services
- Banquet services
- Event catering
- Corporate catering
- Wedding catering
Accommodation:
- Hotel services
- Motel services
- Bed and breakfast
- Resort services
- Vacation rentals
- Hostel services
Other:
- Food delivery services
- Meal kit services
- Cafeteria services
- Snack bar services
NOT Included in Class 43
These similar items belong in other classes:
- Food products - Classes 29-31 (Food goods)
- Cookbooks - Class 16 (Paper Goods)
- Restaurant equipment - Class 11 (Environmental Control)
- Real estate for hotels - Class 36 (Financial Services)
Food Products vs. Food Services
This distinction is critical for food businesses:
Food goods classes (29-31): The food products themselves Class 43: The service of preparing and serving food
If you both sell packaged food AND operate a restaurant, you need both goods and service classes.
Common Services Descriptions
Using pre-approved descriptions from the USPTO Trademark ID Manual avoids the $200 custom description surcharge.
Popular pre-approved descriptions for Class 43:
- Restaurant services
- Bar services
- Catering services
- Hotel services
- Providing temporary accommodation
- Cafe services
- Food and drink catering
Well-Known Marks in Class 43
These recognizable brands are registered in Class 43:
- McDonald's - Restaurant services
- Marriott - Hotel services
- Starbucks - Coffee shop services
- Airbnb - Temporary accommodation booking
- DoorDash - Food delivery services
- Hilton - Hotel services
Filing Tips for Class 43
Restaurant Products and Services
Many restaurants need multiple classes:
| What You Offer | Class |
|---|---|
| Restaurant services | Class 43 |
| Packaged sauces sold in stores | Class 30 |
| Restaurant merchandise (shirts) | Class 25 |
| Branded cookware sold | Class 21 |
Food Delivery Apps
Food delivery platforms may need multiple classes:
| Service | Class |
|---|---|
| Food delivery services | Class 43 |
| Software platform (SaaS) | Class 42 |
| Mobile app | Class 9 |
Specimens for Food Services
For Class 43 trademarks, acceptable specimens include:
- Restaurant menus
- Website showing services
- Signage
- Receipts showing mark
Related Classes
If you are filing in Class 43, you may also need:
- Class 29: Meats & Processed Foods - Food products
- Class 30: Foods - Food products
- Class 32: Beverages - Beverages
- Class 39: Transportation & Storage - Travel arrangement
Filing Fees
Current USPTO fees for Class 43 trademark applications (2025):
| Filing Type | Fee per Class |
|---|---|
| Electronic filing (ID Manual description) | $350 |
| Electronic filing (custom description) | $550 |
| Paper filing | $1,000 |
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