Several Big Apple restaurant owners were named without their knowledge in a letter sent to local politicians by Grubhub in a lobbying push to amend a law that limits what food delivery firms can charge the eateries, The Post has learned.
Considered one of the missives sent last month to City Council member Carmen De La Rosa named 23 businesses in her Washington Heights district.
Nevertheless, a minimum of seven of the restaurant owners didn’t know anything concerning the letter until it was dropped at their attention by the Recent York State Latino Restaurant, Bar and Lounge Association, multiple owners told The Post.
The letter also named individuals who didn’t own the restaurants.
“This is clearly an try and use us without our consent to push through laws,” said Gus Anton, owner of The Park View restaurant at 219 Dyckman St. “I used to be outraged by the letter,” which listed Pedro Reyes – who’s unknown to Anton – as a representative of the 50-seat eatery that serves sandwiches, salads and pastries.
Sandra Jaquez, owner of Sa’tacos at 231 Dyckman St., was similarly shocked to learn that her restaurant was a signatory and represented by Matteo Costa.
“I don’t know who Matteo Costa is,” Jaquez said. “I never agreed to the letter and I’m not for this [legislation],” she added.
Seven restaurant owners in Washington Heights say they didn’t give permission for his or her business to seem in a letter that supports changing the fee cap law.UCG/Universal Images Group via G
Five other restaurant owners – Marisco Centro, Grito Mexican Grill, Burgos, Amore Cafe and Malecon Restaurant – also didn’t consent to being listed on the letter, in accordance with Jeffrey Garcia, president of the Latino Restaurant, Bar and Lounge Association.
“Any document they put out now needs to be questioned due to these discrepancies we found,” Garcia said.
De La Rosa was unavailable for comment her spokesperson, Fraynette Familia, said.
The similar form letter was sent to other City Council members listing restaurants of their districts, in accordance with one Council member, who didn’t wish to be identified, but confirmed that it was sent by a Grubhub lobbyist.
A Grubhub spokesman declined to comment concerning the letter when reached by The Post on Wednesday.
The letter is the most recent skirmish in a pitched lobbying battle between the food delivery firms and restaurant trade groups, who’re fighting to maintain the fee cap on the books because the City Council prepares for hearings on the difficulty.
A Grubhub spokesman declined to comment concerning the letter when reached by The Post on Wednesday.Bloomberg via Getty Images
In 2021, legislators passed the fee cap, which restricts the industry from charging restaurants greater than 20% per takeout order. The law allows the industry to charge 15% for delivery and 5% for other fees akin to marketing.
The food delivery firms are backing a bill introduced last November that may loosen the fee cap.
“Groups working on behalf of massive restaurants have consistently misled members of the industry about this laws,” the Grubhub rep told The Post. “To-date, greater than 500 representatives from restaurants across the five boroughs have voiced their support for this common sense change to make their very own marketing decisions and higher compete with big brands. And it’s encouraging that greater than half the City Council has co-sponsored this bill to empower small, locally-owned businesses.”
The City Council has not set a date for a future hearing on the difficulty.
Grubhub, Doordash and UberEats are also suing town to overturn the 2021 law, which was implemented in 2020 to assist restaurants weather the pandemic.
A growing variety of 26 Council members, including Marjorie Velazquez (D-Bronx), Eric Dinowitz (D-Bronx) and Vicke Paladino (R-Queens) support amending the law – alarming a big contingent of restaurants who don’t wish to reverse the fee cap.
On Tuesday, some 900 restaurant owners delivered a letter to the City Council entitled “Say No To The Larger Fees For The Big Delivery Bill.”
“There’s an aggressive lobbying campaign alleging there may be a grassroots campaign to eliminate the fee cap from restaurants and community groups,” in accordance with the letter, which was shared with The Post. “Nevertheless it’s being funded and coordinated by a significant delivery company that stands to learn greatly.”
The letter was spearheaded by the NYC Hospitality Alliance and the Latino Restaurant Bar and Lounge Association, which represent greater than 4,000 eateries in town.
“It’s very concerning that so many progressive Council members have signed on to gutting this restaurant protection on behalf of billion dollar firms,” Hospitality Alliance executive director, Andrew Rigie said.
“We’re gearing up because they’re spending an amazing sum of money on lobbying and are engaging in questionable tactics,” Rigie added.