A veto by Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin was not overturned recently by the City Council, meaning that REEF Kitchen cannot operate in Marietta.
The vote was 4-3 on Jan. 13, with opposition from Councilwomen Cheryl Richardson and Michelle Cooper Kelly and Councilman Reggie Copeland.
Supporting the veto were Councilmen Grif Chalfant, Joseph Goldstein, Andy Morris and Johnny Walker.
REEF Technology operates 4,500 neighborhood kitchens in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Delivering food for restaurants, REEF Kitchens use food delivery services such as Uber Eats, Doordash, Postmates, Grubhub, SkipTheDishes and Deliveroos.
Tumlin said he was concerned that customers calling in a food order to a restaurant may not be informed that their order will be prepared at another location - even if it is closer to their residence or point of delivery.
Richardson said this approval “would have extended the reach of restaurants beyond the Marietta Square.”
REEF Kitchens had planned to open a food truck in a Chevron fuel station parking lot at 1200 Franklin Gateway, Marietta at Delk Road on about an acre that is owned by Nirmaan Investment.
Tumlin said he would hate to order something from a restaurant “and find out it was made in a gas station.”
He added that he could not find REEF Kitchens on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website.
“Did we check REEF Technology for its certificate? Who pays the sales tax? We need to know more,” Tumlin added.
The applicant is Michelle Moses of Vessel GA Operations doing business as REEF Kitchens, 233 Peachtree St. NE, Harris Tower, Suite 2600, Atlanta.
Not accepting orders on-site, REEF Kitchens prepare orders for off-site delivery, with normal business hours of 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, according to Jasmine Thornton of the Marietta Department of Development Services.
Each day the food truck is driven to its commissary kitchen for cleaning and grease removal.
Information: REEFtechnology.com/kitchens, MariettaFire.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2615?fileID=30575
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