the ALTERED VERSION would, in MOST CASES, become the property of the person who altered it. No it wouldn't and the law is quite clear on this. You are wrong. It's a simple matter to check it - against current international copyright laws even, let alone more localised laws - I suggest you do so. As for refusing service, I can't comment regarding US law, but in the UK you'd be wrong, very wrong. A company can refuse service to whomever it chooses to refuse it to - with or without a deep and involved explanation. The only cases where this can be a sticky point is in the case of race or gender. In the case of "Denny's" you might need to be more specific. The only cases I can find relate to accidents in a couple franchises and one which is a racial situation. In that case it is entirely irrelevant to this thread because Daz are not refusing service based on race. Denny's Race Discrimination Case http://racerelations.about.com/library/weekly/aa032700a.htm and http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/9/19/201745 But, as there is more than just the restaurant chain I'm extremely curious what you are on about. In the second link the case was dismissed.