Who’s really cooking? Chains accused of “masquerading” on delivery apps

Large restaurant chains — including TGI Friday’s, Frankie & Benny’s, and Pizza Hut — have been accused of posing as independent restaurants on delivery platforms.

Independent restaurant businesses and F&B brands claim that larger chains are disguising themselves on apps like Deliveroo, Just East, and Uber Eats — making it harder for customers to tell them apart from genuine small businesses.

This practice, known as “masquerading”, has raised concerns among both businesses and customers about fairness, transparency, and ultimately the survival of small hospitality businesses.

With more of these listings appearing, major chains are reportedly pulling in extra business — often at the expense of the actual independent restaurants customers think they’re supporting.

What does “masquerading” mean?

Restaurant chains have reportedly been using different names and branding on delivery platforms to appear as independent brands and attract customers who want to support local eateries. 

It’s also a way of sidestepping the limitations of their existing brand — for example, a pizza chain that also serves fried chicken may list these products under a different, chicken-oriented brand name to get more eyes on them.

While there’s currently no law or legislation to prevent this practice, diners have shared their distaste about it, believing that it deliberately misleads users and unfairly disadvantages genuine independent restaurants. 

“There is so much of this in my area. I think it’s entirely misleading, bordering on fraudulent,” a user commented on Reddit.

Meanwhile, another added: “A chain pub near me used to do this. On UberEats it had five listings all with the same address. This was in a pretty small area, so there already wasn’t much competition. They absolutely drowned out the other places.”

How is masquerading affecting small restaurants?

Unsurprisingly, the practice of “masquerading” on these apps means that genuine independent restaurants, cafés, and pubs are at greater risk of losing business to large chains posing as small or locally owned businesses.

With so many businesses using these platforms (Deliveroo, for example, has around 70,000 partnerships with restaurants, groceries, and retailers in the UK), and a large number of them reliant on the revenue these apps bring, this can be particularly damaging. 

According to a report by NIQ, deliveries earned 13.4p in every pound spent with restaurants in November 2025, while takeaways and click-and-collect orders earned 4.8p in every pound.

The reported increase in masquerading means that smaller restaurants face intense competition in an already struggling sector. As of August 2025, hospitality has seen 62 net business closures per month (equalling two a day), while the number of independent restaurants has declined by 22.7%. 

Rajendra Vikram Kupperi, director of Vivo Amigo in Cardiff, believes that the rise in ghost kitchens on delivery apps has contributed to this problem, as they make it easier for chains to launch multiple “brands” from the same location without anyone knowing the same company is behind them.

With over 750 ghost kitchens set up in the UK, Kupperi believes this has directly affected his business, and has called for them to be separated from large brands so that customers aren’t misled.

“During Covid, the number of ghost kitchens that opened was endless,” he told The BBC. “The bigger brands can undercut the prices, they have good offers. Customers can’t really differentiate.”

How should restaurants fight back?

Smaller restaurants may not be able to stop the practice outright, but there are ways to help limit its impact.

For example, sharing clear branding, honest descriptions, and real photos of your food and venue can help customers recognise a genuine independent business, rather than a rebranded chain operating under a different name.

Moreover, building loyalty beyond delivery apps can also build further credibility. Encouraging people to follow you on social media, sign up to a mailing list, or order directly from you in future (for example, you could offer a thank you gift or freebie that your customers wouldn’t get with a delivery app) can help reduce reliance on platforms where competition is crowded.

And finally, it’s worth pushing platforms for change where possible. Giving feedback to delivery apps, flagging misleading listings, and supporting calls for better transparency can all help. One voice might feel small, but when enough people speak up, it’ll be harder to ignore.

While there’s still a long way to go, some platforms have shown a willingness to better support small businesses. Uber Eats has told The BBC that it would be “levelling the playing field” for partners on its platform, helping smaller restaurants get fair visibility alongside larger chains.

A spokesperson commented: “We have a growing team of dedicated account managers working to build bespoke solutions and equal exposure opportunities on the app and we accelerate rather than compete with our partners’ sales.”

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Planet of the Grapes founder Matt Harris has over 25 years of experience in hospitality. Read his bi-monthly column for Startups now.

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