Who’s really behind your takeaway? The transparency gap in delivery apps

Last week, a BBC article about virtual restaurant brands lit a fuse.

Independent operators called the practice “sneaky.” Consumers wrote to say they felt misled. And one short quote of mine, lifted from a longer conversation, triggered a wave of reactions that forced me to rethink parts of my own framing.

At first glance, this looks like a familiar story: big chains versus small independents, corporate muscle versus local identity. But the reality is messier and more interesting than that.

Is this actually deception if no false claims are being made?  Why do people feel disappointed even when the food is good? And if all the information technically exists, why does the situation still feel wrong?

The uncomfortable truth is that this debate isn’t really about fraud, or even intent. It’s about opacity - how platform design shapes perception and how easily trust can erode when people feel they’re not seeing the full picture.

I’ve tried to unpack what’s really going on here: where the criticism holds, where it overreaches, and why a simple fix could resolve most of the tension, without regulation, finger-pointing, or culture-war rhetoric.

If you care about food, platforms, consumer trust, or how modern brands quietly reshape choice, I think you’ll find the full piece worth your time.

Clearer labelling might sound boring.  But the implications are anything but…

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