SPRINGFIELD – To ensure restaurants aren’t being taken advantage of by third-party delivery services, State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) is sponsoring a measure to prohibit such services from profiting through deceitful means. 

“During a time when restaurant owners are already struggling with a loss of business due to the pandemic, they do not deserve greater loss from perceived bad service,” Bush said. “Mutually beneficial partnerships between delivery services and restaurants is possible, and I hope this legislation will foster an environment where that can happen.”

The measure prohibits a third-party delivery service – such as DoorDash, UberEats or PostMates – from posting or advertising a menu of a restaurant or bar without written consent from the business.

The legislation comes as the use of food delivery services have increased. Some of the services allow customers to order from non-partnered restaurants, and place the orders as if the delivery driver is the customer. Restaurant owners have raised concerns that this allows third-part delivery services to not only use their name and likeness to make a profit, but that it takes advantage of consumers who are trying to support their local dining options through the pandemic.

If there is an issue with delivery, for instance, or a customer notices a price difference between ordering online and ordering at the brick-and-mortar store, a customer may blame the restaurant.

“While third-party delivery services can bring more money in for local restaurants, those same restaurants can be caught off guard by receiving an influx of orders and not having enough staff,” Bush said. “Additionally, it’s simply not fair for other people to receive profits from a business without permission to deliver its items.”

Senate Bill 672 passed the Senate Thursday and now heads to the House for further consideration.