INDIANAPOLIS — The Jordan's Fish and Chicken sign has been removed from the 42nd and Post Rd. location following major backlash after the viral video that continues to upset the community.
"What I seen is inhumane. It was unethical. It was no morals," said Antonio Patton, community activist.
The community was appalled by a video showing chicken in pans on the ground, employees walking over the food with no shoes, and a mouse inside the 42nd St. restaurant.
"I was in fury and rage to know that something of this magnitude was taking place in a location we call home," said Patton.
Owner of the 42nd and Post Road restaurant, Omar Siedahmed sent WRTV a statement today apologizing for the incident and confirming that the restaurant is not a Jordan's Fish Chicken & Gyro establishment.
"The Jordans on 42nd and Post is not part of the original Jordan's Fish and Chicken brand. What happens there is completely harmful and painful to the community of the east side of Indianapolis. I do apologize about the incident. I understand that the contents that surfaced on social media, news articles and reports of the test are very hurtful to the community and serious actions will be taken to address these issues," Siedahmed said.
Last week, he told WRTV the food on the ground was left over from a catering event and wasn't being served to customers. He also blamed the customer who recorded the video for the mouse.
"Saying he may have brought the rodent with him like he's master splinter and just had him in his pocket and just threw him on the floor... it was definitely another reason for me not to trust the owner of that location ever, ever again," said Patton.
The owner of the legitimate Jordan's Fish Chicken & Gyros brand, Moe Eedous says the 42nd St. location used to be home to the city's first site but after the business sold, the Jordans' sign remained.
"It was really hurtful to see what we see on 42nd and Post Road. This location does not belong to us whatsoever. That location was sold many years ago. They were using our name to maybe help their business," said Eedous. "It doesn't feel fair for us to be called what people been talking about us or saying about us at all."
Eedous says his restaurants are now taking a beating.
"I understand the confusion by the customers, but it does drop our sales big time it affects our business really badly," said Eedous.
He's working to gain back the public's trust by being transparent and even inviting concerned customers into the kitchen at any time.
"We take food out of the cooler all the way like dropping the food, preparing the food, packing the food delivering the food, it's always live in front of our customers eyes from A to Z," he said.
Antonio Patton says the far east doesn't want to see the 42nd and post location reopen.
"That bridge is severed forever," said Patton.
The restaurant remains closed tonight. The owner tells WRTV's Rachael Wilkerson, he isn't sure if it will reopen and that selling the building is a major possibility.
In the meantime, Eedous says his team is taking legal action.
"We have more locations in this city who have our signs up illegally and we are going to take some legal actions for them to tear all of our signs down," said Eedous.
As of Monday, the Jordan's Chicken Fish and Gyro name is officially protected in the state of Indiana, according to Eedous's attorney. Her statement is below:
FIVE ILLEGITIMATE, COUNTERFEIT LOCATIONS
- 2066 N. Illinois St.
- 3633 S. Keystone Ave
- 4351 Lafayette Rd
- 6416 W. Washington St
- 4175 N Post Rd
These five locations were once owned by Moe Eedous and sold to various purchasers at various times. As a condition of each sale, no purchaser was given licensing rights to continue using the JORDAN'S CHICKEN FISH GYROS name beyond one year (some were given even less time, or none at all). Currently, each of these five locations are in violation of their purchase agreement with Mr. Eedous to cease use of the JORDAN'S CHICKEN FISH GYROS name and logo.
AUTHORIZED LICENSEES
Mr. Eedous is the owner of the Beech Grove and Crawfordville locations. All other locations using the JORDAN'S CHICKEN FISH GYROS name and logo (not including the five illegitimate, counterfeit locations) are authorized licensees (meaning, these new owners have permission from Mr. Eedous to use the name and logo in connection with their respective location). The 42nd and Post location captured in that disturbing viral video is not an authorized licensee.
TRADEMARK REGISTRATIONS
My office has since filed federal and state trademark applications for the mark JORDAN'S CHICKEN FISH GYROS for restaurant services, sauces, seasonings, sandwiches, beverages, desserts and popcorn.
It will take approximately 9.5 months before we hear anything related to the federal application as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is severely backlogged. With regard to the identical state filings, my office received notification today that the state applications were approved. State Certificates for both the word mark and its logo design were issued this morning (see attached).
GOALS MOVING FORWARD
My client is aware of the restaurants in the city that are unlawfully using the JORDAN'S CHICKEN FISH GYRO name and/or unlawfully using elements of its distinctive logo design. It is my client's intention to pursue legal action against anyone who is not an authorized licensee of its trademarks and decides to ignore my client's final demand to cease and desist their infringing uses.
