Independent restaurant owners in Cardiff are accusing major chains like Pizza Hut, TGI Fridays, and Frankie & Benny’s of creating “ghost kitchens” on delivery apps to disguise their identities and undercut smaller businesses.
Justina John, owner of ONJA Taste of Tanzania, says it’s “impossible” for her small restaurant to compete with these large chains that are “masquerading as independents” on apps like Deliveroo and Just Eat. She describes the practice as “very sneaky” and says it’s “not fair on the small businesses” trying to survive.
Jamie Rees, co-owner of Fowl and Fury, has noticed an “overwhelming presence of chain restaurants, sometimes masquerading as independent” on delivery platforms. He singles out Frankie & Benny’s and TGI Fridays as “the worst offenders” for creating virtual brand names that conceal their corporate identities.
Rajendra Vikram Kupperi, director of Vivo Amigo, says the proliferation of “ghost kitchens” during the pandemic has been “a killer” for independent businesses. He argues that the bigger chains can “undercut the prices” and offer more promotions, making it extremely difficult for smaller restaurants to compete.
The delivery apps defend the practice, saying virtual brands allow restaurants to “leverage existing kitchen facilities” and “reach new customers.” However, critics argue this misleads customers who believe they are supporting local, independent eateries. They are calling for more transparency and for delivery platforms to better differentiate between chain and independent establishments.
As small businesses struggle to survive, there are concerns that the dominance of these corporate “ghost kitchens” could ultimately drive many independent restaurants out of business, fundamentally altering the culinary landscape of cities like Cardiff.
