More Ghost Restaurants In Missoula. So Who Is Getting Your Money?

As if shopping local and making sure your hard-earned dollar stays in your Montana community, now we have to be on the lookout for fake "Ghost Restaurants" when ordering online.

What is a Ghost Restaurant?

Basically a "Ghost Restaurant" is when a corporate chain creates a fake eatery and profile on your delivery app (Uber Eats, Doordash, etc) and make itself look local. This gives them an edge over the small, local guys, by not only doubling their exposure on the app. It also makes you think "oh hey, there is something new I haven't tried" when in actuality it's just the local Denny's or Applebees. A good example is the new "Pardon My Cheesesteak" Ghost store on your Door Dash and Uber Eats. This franchise is actually owned by Barstool Sports and they contract the name, menu, etc out to restaurants around America. You can hear them talking about it and advertising on their podcast.

I shop locally whenever I can, and when I see something new/local, I try and give them my business when I can, which is pretty often when it comes to food delivery. Take right now for example. I'm at home in quarantine due to covid... again. Since I am a terrible adult, this happened when I couldn't get to the grocery store and stock up, so my options are pretty limited. So I hop on Doordash to lock down some dinner (contactless delivery of course) and once again I run across a few new eateries that have popped up, that, let's say, look less than legit. After my last article, I've definitely been on the lookout.  Here are some new ones you should be aware of:

The Thrilled Cheese is actually IHOP

Super Mega Dilla is also IHOP

Pardon My Cheesesteak is IHOP

Twisted Tenders is Old Chicago (the physical address is listed on Door Dash)

Here are the previous ones we discovered back in July

The Burger Den and The Meltdown are Denny's

Cosmic Wings is Applebees

Tender Shack is Outback Steakhouse

Fresh Set & The Wing Depot is (was) Red Robin

Again, I'm not trying to tell you where to shop, and I always support restaurants giving employment opportunities to our local workers. I just wish that they would practice good competition tactics and give our locally owned and operated places a fighting chance.