Stopping Post-COVID Chargeback Abuse in the F&B Space

Back in December 2019, I wrote a piece commenting on the rapid increase in chargebacks in the food and beverage industry. I argued that, as consumers gradually become more acclimated to tech-enabled options like mobile ordering and click-and-collect, we were going to see chargebacks become more of a concern.

Of course, at the time of writing, no one could have predicted the massive changes that were waiting just around the corner.

The pandemic forced shutdowns at tens of thousands of restaurants across the country. For many, embracing new technology was the only way forward. In turn, many consumers tried options like food delivery services and click-and-collect for the first time. According to one study conducted in August 2021, 50 percent of US consumers say they’ve ordered food through a service like Uber Eats, Grubhub, or DoorDash; a 43 percent increase in just one year.

Delivery services, branded apps, and other tech-facilitated options have been a lifesaver for many…