IN MOST ways the McDonald’s outlet in Jangpura, a gentrifying neighbourhood in south Delhi, looks like one anywhere else, with bright displays, plastic seating and a familiar menu. But this week a disconcerting sign warns that “unpredictable” conditions have affected tomato supplies; none are available. Not bad though for a store that McDonald’s has been trying to close since September 6th. Over a third of its 400 or so outlets in India were supposed to shut their doors then—yet nearly all are still slinging McSpicy Paneers to customers.

War rages between McDonald’s India and Vikram Bakshi of Connaught Place Restaurants Limited (CPRL), who first brought the American chain to India in 1996 as a local partner in a 50-50 joint venture, starting in Delhi (along with another franchisee, Hardcastle Restaurants, which went into the southern and western states). Over the next two decades, Mr Bakshi expanded in the north and east. In 2008 McDonald’s tried to buy out Mr Bakshi’s share for $7m, but he had evidence from an accounting firm that his stake was worth $331m.

From his upstairs office in a residential colony near the Jangpura store, Mr Bakshi has been giving hell to the world’s biggest restaurant chain. In 2013 McDonald’s had him ousted as CPRL’s managing director. He sued to be reinstated, then sued to have his stake revalued, and again to keep control of 169 branches without interference from the mother ship.

When McDonald’s tried to take him to the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) in December 2013, he complained of “oppression and mismanagement” to an Indian national tribunal and won a reprieve; only in 2016 did another Indian court allow the chain’s case to proceed to the LCIA. Mr Bakshi is now trying his luck with an appeal to yet another court, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. The battle illustrates multinationals’ worst fears about India, from the instability built into the joint-venture model to the ease of stymieing legal judgments.

The prospects for McDonald’s in India look appealing, thanks to expanding middle classes. But Mr Bakshi’s chain all but ceased growing since he crossed swords with the golden arches. He shows no signs of giving up. Now his hope is that the appellate tribunal will find in his favour on the LCIA case after a hearing due on October 25th.

Meanwhile, McDonald’s seems to be taking matters into its own hands and squeezing Mr Bakshi’s suppliers. Jangpura’s ketchup comes from Cremica Food Industries in Punjab. Cremica stopped shipping to CPRL in August (it will not say why). Over the approaching holiday weekend of Dussehra, a Hindu festival, the restaurants should see their heaviest footfall of the year. McDonald’s worst fear must be that Mr Bakshi will find a way to carry on for months or years using its brand. But no tomato, then no ketchup. These are formidable weapons.