Uber Eats scammer targets iconic Orlando restaurant, Beefy King

Orlando restaurant Beefy King is known for its delicious hot sandwiches, its roast beef in particular. Shannon Woodrow is the restaurant's third-generation owner. 

"We're gonna be 55 this summer. My grandfather, grandmother, my parents, now my husband and I," she said, "so it's an honor."

Beefy King's role as a community staple risks being tarnished by unscrupulous Uber Eats vendors who are not associated with the restaurant. Calling themselves "Beefy King (Orlando)" they proceeded to sell food that is not on the menu during hours the restaurant is closed. 

"Pizza, pasta, Italian-type food," Woodrow said. "No sandwiches, no Beefy King. Definitely not us, not even close. People knew by the hours, right away."

Digital marketing expert Tom Jelneck said the internet is full of scammers. Unfortunately, he said it was on the customer to make sure they're not getting played, which may mean making a phone call to a restaurant first. "One of the ways to do it is to call and verify with the chain," he said, "it kind of defeats the purpose of using the app, but you can certainly call a restaurant and say are you on Uber Eats, and verifying it that way."

Jelneck said that was a better option than the disappointment you'll feel if the food you ordered isn't the real deal. Customers, like Nathalie Steelman," said the Uber Eats app needed to hold to a high standard. "I think I use it for convenience and the quickness of it, so having to do that extra step would deter me from using it."

Uber Eats released a statement about the incident: "Uber Eats is committed to ensuring a reliable, high-quality delivery experience both for restaurants and consumers, and it's clear we missed the mark here. Pending the outcome of an internal audit, this restaurant has been removed from the Uber Eats platform, and we've reached out to Beefy King to apologize."