Rifo’s Cafe in Maylands hikes entire Uber Eats menu to $99 in protest against online delivery conglomerates

A Perth restaurant has declared war on a delivery behemoth, sending its prices sky-high in a protest against the app.

Eagle-eyed locals hoping to order a tasty meal from Rifo’s Cafe on Uber Eats were left stunned on Thursday after the Guildford Road venue changed the cost of all menu items on the app to a shocking $99.

The prices were a massive jump for the Maylands cafe, which typically sell items in-house between $8 and $32.

As confusion among delivery customers continued to grow, owner Doruk Kayhan took to social media on Friday morning to reveal the price change was done as a “PROTEST to these online giants”.

“For years I have had my beautiful Rifo’s on these platforms serving hundreds of thousands and having my food delivered to many households (thank you),” he began his lengthy post to the business’ 4600 followers.

“But over the past few years these online companies are now almost one quarter of my venue sales, and these guys are taking 60 to 70 percent of the income through their commissions, marketing fees, promotions.”

He said the international conglomerate had made his restaurant more similar to a “mass production facility” than a locally-owned eatery, and revealed the platform’s slew of deals meant the Maylands small business was no longer breaking even.

“I have to pay all the costs associated with running a small business, yet all PROFITS go to them and they made it easy for themselves with just an online tablet in my store,” he said.

Tensions over the app reached their peak on Thursday, when Mr Kayhan made the decision to hike his prices to a shocking $99.

“I understand that these promotions worked for a lot of people especially during a cost of living crisis, but I do also have a cost of doing business crisis — and every small business owner in this country would understand that,” he said.

“So I said, instead of being a restaurant that has to mass produce for these conglomerates and also keep my doors open for walk-in customers, I am going back to be a restaurant only, not a factory.

“This allows me and my staff to focus on my walk in customers only, no Uber Eats screens ringing, no takeaway drivers waiting, just a restaurant where we can focus on customers and our food the good old fashioned way.”

Rifo’s said after commencing their protest, staff at the Maylands venue had “possibly the best night in a decade” since they could focus on actual diners in the restaurant with no distractions from delivery notifications.

The lengthy explanation to their clientele ended with a plea for Perth residents to support locally-owned businesses by stepping into their venues.

“Please support local by stepping into our stores and enjoying the food, the drinks and our smiling faces,” he said.

“Please hear me on this, these online giants are just breaking small businesses with their fees and commissions, and they do not care for us.

Thank you for understanding this is my David v Goliath moment with the online giants.

The cafe’s post quickly gained attention across the WA capital, with many Perth business owners and neighbours voicing their support for the eatery as it battles Uber Eats.

“Well done for standing up to the greed of international conglomerates, all Perth businesses should follow your lead,” one local wrote.

“I will always choose a small Perth business over corporate greed,” another added, before revealing the post made them delete the Uber Eats app.

“People need to get off their backside and go support locals before our high streets become a boarded up, homogenised dead zone,” a third user wrote.

Other Perth residents who have used Uber Eats in the past were stunned to learn of the impact it has on small restaurants.

“I had absolutely no idea that the service was at such a cost to small businesses,” one person said, while another added: “Thanks for educating customers like me about this!”

“I will no longer be ordering from those delivery apps and will make sure to support local businesses directly,” a third comment read.

The Maylands cafe’s announcement comes just three months after a South Australian burger joint launched a similar protest against the app.

Zaynn Bird, the founder of Stax Burger Co in Adelaide, revealed back in June that he had raised the prices of all menu items — including sauces — to $500 on Uber Eats.

“I don’t want small businesses to be bullied,” the 29-year-old told local media at the time of his protest.

“I’m sick of the big platforms ruining our food, ruining our service and ruining our reputation, it’s s***.”

After Mr Bird’s battle went viral on social media, Uber Eats made the decision to terminate his restaurants from the app.

The Adelaide owner is now in talks with another major delivery platform to find a “customer-focused solution” to the issues their business faced.

Uber Eats declined to comment when approached by PerthNow.

PerthNow has reached out to Rifo’s Cafe for further comment.