Big chains accused of masquerading as independent restaurants on delivery apps

Independent restaurants have accused multinational corporations of being sneaky and a killer to family businesses by masquerading as indies on delivery applications. Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, Frankie & Benny's, Las Iguanas, and Barburrito's are among the famous franchises known as Deliveroo and Just Eat, giving them different names and the appearance of being small or independent businesses. ONJA Taste of Tanzania in Cardiff, owner Justina John, said trying to survive was "like little fish trying to swim with the sharks. Peter Backman, CEO of theDelivery. According to the world, the tactic was only deceitful if customers were solely trying to help independent restaurants and takeaways.

Justina, 45, of Cardiff, opened her restaurant a year ago and said she had noticed a

overwhelming number of chain restaurants, some disguised as independents

on delivery apps. It's not fair on the small businesses, she said.

Authenticity is the only thing that keeps us alive,

says the author. There are certain things you can't fake.

Justina wants delivery platforms to take greater responsibility, to verify listings, and help genuine independent businesses by distinguishing them on the apps so that customers can safely support them if they so desired. Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats all said that virtual brands could be used by any company, including independents. Just Eat said it helped independent businesses reach new customers and virtual brands by giving partners

the opportunity to expand their food lines and diversify their revenue streams.

To help them make informed choices,it said,it was transparent with customers

because they could see the address of where they were ordering from. Deliveroo said that its

core purpose is to support local businessesand that virtual brands enabled restaurants toleverage existing kitchen facilities and capacity to create a delivery-only brand, giving them the opportunity to reach new customers and drive more sales in an increasingly digital world. Uber Eats said it was committed to leveling the playing field for the merchants on its website, adding: "We have a growing team of dedicated account managers dedicated to develop bespoke applications and equal exposure opportunities on the app, and we're starting to develop faster rather than competing with our partners' revenues.

Jamie Rees, 36, is the co-owner of Fowl and Fury in Cardiff, and said he first noticed chains launching digital shops three years ago, but now it's literally everywhere.The worst offender, recently,Frankie & Benny's said,quite a large one. Logging on to Deliveroo While in Cardiff, the BBC tested some of these takeaways by pressing the allergens and info button, which gives you the company's registered address. The bird box and Stacks were from Frankie & Benny's, Mother Clucker was TGI Fridays, Wing Street was Pizza Hut, Hot Chick was Coyote Ugly, and Bada

Jamie understood why companies do it and that you cannot avoid it, but he was furious because the apps, according to him, created a more level playing field.

But then, when they bring out five separate restaurants under the same roof, I'm not equal,

he said.

They have more funds for advertisement, promos, and photographers.

He wants to see legislation on transparency regarding where kitchen people's food comes from and the parent company behind it.

I'm afraid that the younger guys will go out of business because they're a lot less noticeable on these pages.

It feels a little bit unethical,

the logo says nine out of ten of zehn of the people ordering from these ghost kitchens are doing it.

This is a real issue for Fowl and Fury, because the majority of customers order online," he said.

Friends suggested creating an independent-only delivery service, but he said it would not be able to compete with Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo. Ghost kitchens were diluting the takeaway market and were unjustified to independent businesses, according to Rajendra Vikram Kupperi, 45, founder of Vivo Amigo, which opened in Cardiff in 2020.

The number of ghost kitchens that opened in Covid was innumerable. It's a killer,

he said. "While the bigger brands can undercut the prices, good offers can be made.

Vivo Amigo uses Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat, but Rajendra believes that the use of ghost kitchens has directly affected his company. Mexican food brands have sub-brands online. Kick-Ass Burrito is a product of Las Iguanas and Barburrio, but also as Death Valley Burro, Badass burri to, and Twisted Health Kitchen To ensure consumers are not deceived, he said he would like ghost kitchens and big brands separate from independent restaurants.

That will encourage customers to buy independent brands,

he said, but at the moment, it's all mixed up. "Customers can't really differentiate.

One way restaurants can make more efficient use of existing kitchens, minimize waste, and respond to customer demand,

Barburrito said. The model, according to a statement, is

not limited to large supermarkets, and many independent operators are also able to develop virtual brands on delivery platforms.

The issue isn't competition,

Coyote Ugly said, but whether businesses can still be profitable at all.

Ultimately, this is about keeping doors open, safeguarding jobs, and giving hospitality a fighting chance to flourish.

Peter Backman of theDelivery. The world said that large chain restaurants created ghost restaurants

for more salesbecause they have the capacity - why not?He was unsure if customers cared about, but if they

actually believe they're assisting their local company,

he said.

But if the customer is just saying, 'oh, I want some wings,'

does it matter? "He said he always loved transparency and thought that providing a page for independent businesses was a good idea, but doubted the practicality. When asked to comment, Frankie & Benny's, TGI Fridays, Pizza Hut, and Las Iguanas were among