A random Google search last week led Andrew Moyes to a Grubhub site offering shipping Moo’s Craft Barbecue, smoked popcorn specializing in beef brisket and jalapeño cheddar sausages.
But there was one problem. Mujozi is the cook and owner of Mui. As far as he knew, Moe had never executed a delivery order during the three years of his career. And, as the site promised, every day from 10am to 5pm every day was impossible. Moo only sells barbeque during Sundays at the Smorgsburg food festival and local brewery.
“I was surprised by it [the Grubhub page] it had a full menu, a fairly accurate pricing, and what seemed to be the latest photos of our sausage, brisket, ribs, sides, more than half of the menu. It surprised me who created it, ”Miozos said. “My initial concern was that someone was selling from another restaurant and used our name to deceive customers.”
Then the story escalated. Mujozi has ordered his own barbecue through the Grubhub app, which is to be delivered to the Commissary kitchen where he prepares food for Moo.
Almost immediately, he was able to track the delivery driver through the app, noticing that the car appeared to be traveling through ROW DTLA, the shopping complex adjacent to Smorgasburg, before canceling delivery. The order was then passed to another driver who passed through a similar loop and finally marked the shipped food, although the ribs did not change hands.
After contacting the driver, Mujoz announced that he had applied to Grubhub for support. He also expressed concern that his business was not legally listed on the company’s website.
“My fear was that if I didn’t see it, someone would go through the same process that I did, then I blame Mow for their experience.”
Mujoz is not the only chef who is concerned about online ordering services that offer delivery from restaurants without their permission. In January, Pim Techamuanvivit received a call from a customer seeking interest in his order from a San Francisco Kin Kin restaurant on a Grubhub-owned platform, even though the restaurant did not explicitly offer delivery.
“They can’t completely fake a restaurant that can’t deliver and get food. I don’t know that there is a rat-infested warehouse somewhere and deliver it to guests,” said Techamuanivit. San Francisco Chronicle.
According to Grubbhub, most of the orders the company processes in the 2700 cities where it operates are from restaurants with which it has a clear partnership. But restaurants, which are considered to be in great demand, are sometimes added without such a partnership; In these situations, the company instructs the driver before ordering food at a restaurant or restaurant.
Mujoz said that a representative from Grubhub sent him an online form to remove his business from the site, but added that he was told that the process would take 48 to 72 hours before the listing was turned off. “It’s a little frustrating because I had to go through this process when I didn’t even agree to start it on the platform that was supposed to start.”
Mujoz also said that after posting his misfortune on Instagram, many of his followers were planning to share experiences where they saw Grubhub deliveries from restaurants that did not offer pickup at the time or were not open for business.
A bill recently introduced by the California State Assembly, known as AB 2149, aims to address such issues by limiting third-party food delivery programs, including Grubhub, DoorDash, Postmates and Uber Eats.
If approved, California State Assembly sponsor Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), who previously introduced the AB5 bill regulating gig economics, would ban restaurants from being included in shipment schedules without prior consent.
“We need to level the playing field for mom and pop restaurants that use great technology,” Gonzalez says. “Restaurants should not be afraid to lose their customers when they do not agree with the terms of some food delivery app.”
LA restaurant owners, such as Elaine Miller from Clementine, also have criticized because of the extra shipping charges that shipping apps charge their affiliate restaurants, making small business already a small income.
Mujoz said he was not against shipping plans. She often uses postmates to order sushi for her children after getting home from work, she said. He thinks the deal makes no sense for Moo’s, a limited supply. whose loyal fans often wait more than an hour for their breasts and ribs.
“If they want you to be in their appeal, they should at least talk to you first, instead of following you,” he said. “It’s just one more thing to worry about as a business owner.”
Grubhub’s Delivery Page for Moo’s Craft Barbecue at noon on Tuesday was still active.