Google Sued For Fraudulent Practice Of Redirecting Websites For Own Profit

Google allegedly prioritized food delivery apps over directing users to the company's website. (photo: Alex Dudar / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - A Florida restaurant group has sued Google for allegedly prioritizing food delivery apps over directing users to the company's own website.

According to a lawsuit filed in Northern California District Court on March 8 by Left Field Holdings, the Google-branded food ordering webpage was invalid, in which it used the restaurant's name without their consent.

In addition, Google is also accused of using bait and switch tactics by placing an Order Online button at the top of the restaurant's profile panel in the search engine.

The large blue button directs users to the food.google.com page, where they can select an item from the restaurant's menu and then order through various third-party services, such as Postmates, DoorDash, and UberEats rather than through the restaurant itself.

While this system makes it easy for users to order, it's a disservice to restaurants. Because delivery apps charge as high as 20 percent, which is why restaurants prefer customers to order with them in person.

If a customer orders through this page using a third party service, the restaurant will be charged. By filing this lawsuit, Left Field Holdings is seeking class action status on behalf of other restaurants that may have lost orders to the Google button.

The search engine giant first rolled out the Order Online button in 2019. On Google's support page, it tells restaurants they can turn the ordering feature on or off, but it's still unclear if it's enabled by default.

However, Google denied the allegations and called it a mischaracterization of the product, and the company will defend itself strongly.

"Our goal is to connect customers with restaurants where they want to order food and make it easier for them to do so via the Order Online button," said Google spokeswoman Ashley Thompson as quoted by The Verge, Tuesday, March 15.

“We provide tools for merchants to indicate whether they support online orders or prefer a particular provider, including their own ordering website. We do not receive any compensation for orders or integrations with this feature."