A cunning Just Eat customer claimed a refund against a Salford takeaway after complaining their ice slush drinks were too cold.
Food Station and Shakes, in Ordsall, is the latest business to speak out about a 'loophole' which sees customers get their money back through bogus refund claims.
Since Just Eat changed its refund policy last autumn, takeaways have been charged automatically for any money claimed back by customers, and the onus is then on the trader to challenge it.
Businesses across Greater Manchester say the system is open to abuse.
Mohsin Butt, who runs Food Station and Shakes on Phoebe Street, says his business has been hit by 'five to 10 refunds every day' and a member of staff spends around two hours each day checking refunds.
He says the restaurant is often hit by bogus refund claims - with the most outlandish being a customer who claimed their £12 order for four ice slush drinks was 'too cold'.
Mr Butt said: "What are slushes meant to be like?"
"You can't sell someone warm slushes, they will melt. They are supposed to be cold.
"They are giving refunds to the customers any time they do it. It's not good."
Mr Butt says he contested the refund after the order had been made last December 26 - but it was far from an isolated incident.
The Manchester Evening News has seen long pages of weekly refund claims put in against the takeaway.
He said: "We saw one customer do it, and he had made 136 orders on Just Eat. He knew how to use this loophole.
"We had another customer who made an order with us on three days in a row, and every time he requested a refund for items that were missing.
"By the third day I went to him personally, gave him the order, we went through it. I said to him, 'there's nothing missing here, don't place a refund, everything is right here in front of you'.
"The next day, he claimed a refund. Three days in a row - he was having a free meal every single day."
Previously, Just Eat would give takeaways the option to accept a refund claim, or the company would cover the cost.
Since the rules changed, refunds are automatically deducted from takeaways' accounts with the firm.
And although they have a month to contest the decision, Mr Butt feels communication with Just Eat could be better.
"When we approach them we never know if we were going to get our money back or not," he said.
"There is only one email we receive from them to say they have received our query. There's no evidence provided by Just Eat saying why they are giving a refund."
Food Station and Shakes is the latest takeaway around Greater Manchester to speak out about bogus refunds affecting their business.
Junaid Khan, who owns Meat Me Here in Clayton, told the M.E.N. a customer claimed their order was left outside in the rain - hours after he delivered the food face-to-face.
Hassan Habib, who runs Lucky's in Oldham, said last December that one customer got a refund for their ice cream being 'too cold'.
And Marc Faulkner, who runs three takeaways in St Helens, said he was being 'driven out of business' by the 'scam' after Just Eat's refund policy first changed.
Mr Butt added: "Just Eat aren't losing money through this - the only person who is at a loss is the Just Eat partner, the takeaway.
"Whatever we send out, we have to replace with out own money."
Just Eat told the M.E.N. that takeaways able to dispute all refund requests that come in, and Food Station and Shakes has contested the majority of the refund claims made.
The company added that restaurants and takeaways are always refunded in full when they find any fraudulent activity taking place, as they have in the cases Mr Butt raised.
A spokesperson for Just Eat said: "Just Eat is only successful if our restaurant partners are successful and we have a track record of helping restaurants prosper.
"The recent measures we’ve put in place are in line with industry standards and are to ensure an even fairer refunds process for all, such as increasing the time for restaurants to raise any disputes.
"Restaurant partners are always refunded in full when we find any fraudulent activity taking place.
"We’re keen to maintain an open dialogue with the restaurants on our platform and continue to review our policies and processes in this space to support both customers and restaurants alike."
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