Using a registered trademark in an action button

Question

Over the weekend I ate at a Red Robin with their new "Ziosk" electronic menu/payment system. The final payment screen asks you to select a tip amount and confirm. Shown below (in a larger, more legible image) the button text is "TIP THIS AMOUNT". The version I used (shown below in a smaller, almost illegible image also taken from the web, though without the ®) instead said "YUMMM® THIS AMOUNT".

I actually stared at that button for several seconds trying to decide if I should push it and whether it did the obvious thing or something else.

Clearly there's a tradeoff being made here. The button is not as easy to understand. By using a registered trademark, they are ensuring that only Red Robin can use YUMMM® in that context. What I want to understand is: What benefit does Red Robin derive from using a registered trademark in that context? What benefit is it to Red Robin customers?

Answer 1

There is no benefit to the customer here.

This is 99% likely the result of someone from corporate insisting on throwing more trademarks in to the product because, well, we have the trademarks so use them dummy! From what I can google, ©yummm®™ is super vague, unrelated to tipping or money in general, just a sort of tagline that isn't even present on their homepage.

It's like if the button said "Finger Licking Good" at KFC. Pure nonsense.

It might be possible to create a sort of sensible button, sure. "I'm tipping it" and "Tip it your way" still tie in to brands (guess which) but they also clearly indicate action and tipping.

but ℗©Yummm®™℠ an amount? Am I eating the money?