An App is Arranging Food Delivery Without Permission From Seattle Restaurants

Downtown-based Mel's Market and Magnolia's Niko's Gyros have had recent trouble with an app called OrderAhead illegally linking to their websites, taking online orders that charge more than their restaurant prices, and delivering food for a profit.

Per KIRO 7: "A customer asked [Mel's Market] owner Pam Cunio about a new delivery option seen online.

"'We asked what website they were looking at,' said Cunio.  'They said Melsmarket.net.  We thought that's kind of strange. We don't have that.'

"As of Monday afternoon, a Google search showed right below the real Mel's Market site, melspickup.com, the unauthorized melsmarket.net shows up.  It offers Mel's full menu and even has unauthorized pictures of the food."

While KIRO says the ordering app has legitimate relationships with some Seattle restaurants, the King County Health Department says it has never been approached by OrderAhead to get the appropriate permit to deliver food from Mel's — or anywhere else. The Health Department and the Washington Restaurant Association are investigating; stay tuned for updates.