‘The’ Wall Street Journal had an interesting article on this very topic yesterday.  Lynn

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903895904576546910525327024.html?KEYWORDS=an+article+of+faith+for+marketers

From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of T. J. Ray
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 6:19 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Definite Article Question

Someone asked why we supply "the" before some business names and not before

others.  In this town we have restaurants with names such as Snack Shack, Boure,

Downtown Grill, McDonald's.  Why would someone need to say "I'm going to eat at

Boure" as opposed to "I'm dining at the Snack Shack"?

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