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Health & Fitness

Macdaddy's Says Mac N' Out Stole Their Concept: Macdaddy's Plans to Open on I-95 Denied by Voll

Back in late April 2013, I wrote an article entitled “Busiest State Rest Stops Getting Ready to Reopen” that became controversial. 

The Macdaddy’s Macaroni and Cheese Bar website stated they were planning to open in the I-95 Darien Northbound Service Plaza while a spokesman from the Connecticut Department of Transportation claimed “Mac N’ Out” was opening. I believed the tenant to be more knowledgeable but failed to state the inconsistency in my article or attribute the Macdaddy’s Macaroni and Cheese Bar website. 

I received an e-mail from Paul Petrone, then editor of the Montville and Waterford Patches on May 1, stating that I had made a mistake in my article that needed to be corrected. He received an e-mail from Joseph Voll from Macdaddy’s stating the following:

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“As partial owner of Macdaddy’s Macaroni & Cheese Bar, an article written by Corey Sipe regarding the ‘busiest state rest stops getting ready to open’ is incorrect and needs to be removed immediately. Macdaddys is not opening on I-95 and not opening in Milford. I don’t know where your editor received this information, but the article needs to be removed ASAP since this is false information.”

I corrected the article but always wondered why there was confusion between the two names.

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On Mar. 22, 2014, a Facebook post on the Macdaddy’s page states: “A lot of you probably noticed that there is a Mac N’ Out on I-95 as you come through Darien Ct. Just in case you were wondering. Just like Milford, there was a location both negotiated and planned there. Much like everything else you have read today, that location was usurped as well.” 

The post comes after a Mar. 21 post by Robert Dunn who states: 

“I have been away from this site since late 2012, because my “partner”, Joseph Voll, decided to steal Macdaddy’s concept, market, and planned new locations for a competing company he and his daughter started. You may have heard of Mac N’ Out. Voll secretly worked with his daughter to start that company, and he got a court to order that I could not communicate with all of you. That was unconstitutional (free speech anyone?), but now it has been lifted so I can tell you what happened. Voll has been “running” the Macdaddy’s Monroe location and he and the licensees of the Fairfield location maliciously closed that one down by outvoting me. I am fighting in court to regain control of Macdaddy’s so I can at least try to make it as successful as I once knew it would be. I urge all of you to NOT patronize Mac N’ Out. Voll’s daughter, Katelyn, lied to newspapers who wrote about her company, saying it was “her idea” for a macaroni and cheese restaurant, and she lied to a court by claiming, at 24 years old, she financed Mac N’ Out herself. Their business strategy is to use their money and some very slimy lawyers to steal others’ ideas and hard work. Their lawyers pretended to be working in the best interests of Macdaddy’s, while keeping their plans for Mac N’ Out a secret. The same lawyers who “represent” Macdaddy’s appeared in court on behalf of Mac N’ Out and have worked against Macdaddy’s, and unfortunately the court has allowed them to continue acting under such a conflict of interest, using Macdaddy’s proprietary information to help Mac N’ Out. One day, hopefully soon, I will again make Macdaddy’s what it once was before Voll was given control and began to ruin it so it would not pose competition for Mac N’ Out. I’ve learned many lessons about cut-throat competition through this experience. What I did not know was the person whom I allowed to become my partner in Macdaddy’s would treacherously use his position as an equal owner to destroy it and steal the idea for himself and his family. I thank all of you for your support, and even though Voll is running Macdaddy’s, your continued support of it will help prevent him from being able to complete his underhanded scheme.” 

Later on Mar. 21, Dunn stated: “This just in! Now that I have finally been allowed to exercise my constitutional right to free speech by informing you all of what has been going on, my lawyers have just informed that Joseph Voll has instructed his lawyers who also represent Mac n Out to seek a new unconstitutional court order to prevent me from communicating with all of you. Apparently they believe they are entitled to steal the Macdaddy’s concept market and locations, but we are not entitled to tell the people who are fans on Macdaddy social networks what they are doing. This should be of MAJOR interest to all of you who value you 1st amendment rights.”

I sent a message to the Mac ’N Out Facebook page on Mar. 22 asking for them to comment on Mr. Dunn’s statements. At press time, I received no reply. 

On Mar. 25, Dunn further stated that “if these posts and the information contained within them end up saving someone from doing business or getting involved with this man whether it be a partnership with him personally or renting property from his company Worldwide Properties, then I am glad that this info prevented you from ending up where it got me.” 

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