Sammy Hagar is in litigation over an unauthorized franchise of his Cabo Wabo Cantina restaurant in Hollywood, California.
His legal team filed a lawsuit in January claiming franchisee Robert Azinian opened a new Cabo Wabo location in December 2023, despite having his licensee deal with the company terminated.
The suit states, “The Cabo Wabo brand is highly distinctive and has achieved recognition with the consuming public as being associated with premium quality goods and services.
“Every day that the Cabo Wabo Cantina at the new Hollywood location continues to operate under the ‘Cabo Wabo’ brand, it soils the name, reputation, and goodwill that Red Head has developed.”
They’ve asked the court to grant an injunction to stop Azinian from using the Cabo Wabo name, or Hagar’s name and likeness, for the restaurant because due to the unauthorized use of the name, they have no “oversight, control, or even visibility as to the quality” of the restaurant.
The original Cantina was opened in 1990 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and is still in operation. The other location is in Las Vegas.
REUTERS PHOTO
