| College Dropout | |
|---|---|
_logo.png){kind=logo} | |
 Interactive map of College Dropout | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | June 27, 2021 |
| Owner | Mark Elkhouri |
| Location | 91 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe VIC 3079 482 Albion St, Brunswick West VIC 3055[1] |
| Website | collegedropoutburgers |
College Dropout is aburger chain inMelbourne, Australia.[2][3][4][5] They are known, in-part, for having made international headlines after being unsuccessfully sued by the American musicianKanye West forintellectual property infringement.[6][3][7]
The chain is named after West's albumThe College Dropout, which they did not get his permission or endorsement to use. The restaurant uses theDropout Bear as a mascot, and has items named for other things in West's career, such as his album and song titles. For a brief period, they sold burgers named after celebrities that dropped out of college as a result of West's lawsuit. As of 2025, they have returned to branding styled around West.
The restaurant debuted on June 27, 2021[8] inIvanhoe, Victoria.[3] It later opened a location on theCBD campus ofRMIT University.[9] It was opened by Mark Elkhouri, also responsible for the Melbourne dessert chain Nuts About Tella.[10]
The burger restaurant is heavily styled based on the music career of Kanye West. Menu items at the restaurant are named for things associated with West, such as songs, albums, or lyrics. Examples included theGraduation which was essentially a classic smashed beef burger, the "Gold Digger", which was a fried chicken burger, and a breakfast burger named the "Good Morning".[2][8]
The aesthetics of the restaurant also borrowed heavily from West'sintellectual property. Signage of the Ivanhoe location included images resemblingDropout Bear, West's mascot.[3] None of the restaurant's reliance upon West's intellectual property occurred with his permission or endorsement.[3]
In 2022, the restaurant made international headlines after it was sued byKanye West. Reportedly, the rapper followed the restaurant through itsstories on Instagram, which the restaurant owner mistook as West's approval for the restaurant.[11][12][13] Later, West contacted the owner and sued the restaurant.[2] The restaurant changed its logo and the names of its burgers after being contacted by West, but continued to trade under the same name.[3]
The basis of the lawsuit was that Elkhouri had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by falsely associating himself with West and his brand.[Note 1] During the lawsuit, the names of the burgers were renamed to celebrities that had dropped out of college. Examples include the "Zucker burg", and other burgers named forBill Gates,Brad Pitt, andSteve Jobs.[11][14]
In 2023, the case was dismissed by Justice Shaun McElwaine due to West and his lawyers failing to comply withAustralian Federal Court rules of procedure.[3][14][4] The restaurant was represented by Craig Smith SC.[4] The restaurant celebrated the dismissal by handing out free burgers from 2pm to 3pm on March 4, 2023.[15]
In April, Elkhouri flew to the US to pursue West for legal damages.[16]
As of 2025, College Dropout has returned to selling items named after West, with items such as the "Gorgeous" and "Famous" burgers (the latter self-described as their take on theBig Mac) being available.[17] Their current logo, like their original branding, is heavily based on West's Dropout Bear character.
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