The term NASCAR ignites reverence and instills trust. Americans associate the word with family time, a sport that brings everyone together. The sport has so much to offer to all age groups, packed with abundant entertainment. But the real reason why it is so popular is because of its authenticity. But when someone taints the term with inappropriate usage, that simply reflects badly on the said person. It is a sick marketing practice and must be called out. Above all, someone who fools around with food is simply distasteful.

What is NASCAR Refuel, and why is it a bummer?

There is a concept of Cloud Kitchens, popularly known as Ghost Kitchens, that is gaining traction across the USA. These are food outlets that house multiple brands under the same roof and accept only food deliveries and no dine-ins. YouTuber Eddy Burback shared a video on his channel revealing the deceptive nature of these kitchens.

One of the biggest companies that owns such ghost kitchens in America is Los Angeles-based Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC). Its website lists the brands that it works with, wherein a specific brand caught Eddy’s attention. It is called NASCAR Refuel; a virtual restaurant brand, and the kitchen has a NASCAR theme. Now, that’s not a coincidence because VDC launched the brand in partnership with the NASCAR Refuel smartphone app, the official website, and DoorDash right before the NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway in 2023.

Handpicked from 12 NASCAR-owned racetracks across the country, NASCAR Refuel’s delivery-only menu offers “Refuel Combos” and mouthwatering individual items. You can savor the Daytona Firecracker Dog, Talla-Mento Dogwich, Darlington Pimento Cheese Sandwich, and Refuel Burger.

But unlike most other ghost kitchens Eddy Burback had ordered from, NASCAR Refuel did have proper branding on its packaging. While the food was good, the funny part was when Eddy received a letter thanking him for the order. Now you might think that’s actually good customer service, so why is it funny? Well, he didn’t receive the mail, not from NASCAR Refuel but from MrBeast Burger. Especially when he thought he was just having a Refuel Burger!

What did Eddy further notice?

1. Food delivery apps have numerous identical items listed under different brands; their description, names, and prices are all the same. So, he went on an ordering spree to find out whether these were actually the same items.
2. To his surprise, they had the same packaging, the same appearance, and tasted ‘exactly the same’.

It is not complicated to deduce that all these virtual brands are merely disguising the fact that they’re offering the same food cooked in the same kitchen while taking up unreasonable listing slots on the apps. Sadly, Eddy also figured out that some of the brands weren’t even cooking the food they were selling, but branding the food sourced from elsewhere. But what did the VDC founder promise as they signed the deal with NASCAR refuel?

“As a NASCAR fan myself, I know the crowds on race day are there for the excitement of the sport, and of course for the food,” said Robert Earl, founder of VDC, in a statement. “Our menu highlights specialties from NASCAR racetracks, so race fans can enjoy the NASCAR food experience year-round at home.”

Two questions that arise here are how exactly these brands are getting listed on the apps and what is the role of inspecting agencies in the entire scenario.

It is not easy for the FDA to keep a check on the proliferation of ghost kitchens and virtual franchises. Most times, they don’t even know if multiple brands are being run by the same kitchen. Even the slightest change in one menu from the other could give rise to a whole set of hazardous consequences because we’re talking about food. We ingest it, so it needs to be certified!

Disgraceful for NASCAR to promote and associate themselves without careful consideration

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In the digital world of mobile applications, everything can be ordered online. You name a thing, and it is available on the internet for sale. Most things can be ordered for cash delivery so that the products can be verified for their genuineness. However, not all products can be verified on delivery, especially edibles.

Ghost kitchens, such as NASCAR Refuel, are modeled in a way that manipulates people into ordering from them. Celebrities and influencers are used to sell the idea to their fans. But there is a great deal of responsibility that these influencers shoulder, given they have the faith and support of so many people, especially the younger population.

But the influencers are themselves young, and they only wield the power aided by technology. So, the real responsibility then falls to the delivery apps to screen the restaurants adequately before listing them. Even the FDA needs to frame rules and expand inspection horizons to factor in the dynamic food industry.

But given the stature of NASCAR, it should have known better. Sponsorships must be carefully screened because they can potentially pose a threat to public health and safety. Teams like Spire Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, and even many of the races in the NASCAR Cup Series 2024, such as the Daytona 500 and the one on the Atlanta Motor Speedway, have been sponsored by these big food brands that come under these Ghost banners.

People running such virtual food businesses must be held accountable for the brands they cultivate, and complete transparency must be expected from them. People spending money on food or entertainment should get exactly what they deserve, and nothing less. After all, that’s what people expect from NASCAR.