Food Delivery App ‘Sauce’ Accused Of Cold Meals And Hot Lies In New Lawsuit

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit accuses the Sauce food delivery app of misleading customers with delivery times, denying refunds, and engaging in other deceptive practices.

Consumers Affected: Consumers in the U.S. who ordered through the Sauce delivery app and experienced significant delivery delays or issues.

Court: US District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division

Sauce, a mobile food delivery platform, leaves customers hanging for hours—and then refuses to make it right, according to a new lawsuit. The proposed class action lawsuit accuses the app of luring hungry users with promises of quick and reliable service, but often delivers cold food and empty reassurances instead.

Sauce systematically misrepresents delivery times, the lawsuit claims, falsely assures customers their drivers are “on the way,” and then stonewalls refund requests when meals arrive late, incorrect, or inedible.

Customers Allege Sauce Delivery Delays and Misleading Promises

Aliza Ingber, a resident of Los Angeles County, filed the proposed class action lawsuit after she says she learned the hard way what happens when you use Sauce. On February 14 she placed a lunchtime order through the app from Krembo Cafe. What should’ve been a 30–60 minute delivery turned into a nearly four-hour ordeal.

Despite checking in with Sauce’s customer service chat repeatedly, Ingber says she was falsely told each time that her driver was "on the way." By the time the food arrived—around 5 p.m.—her children had already been fed with backup meals, the delivery was cold, and the order wasn’t even correct.

She immediately requested a refund for the $450 order, but the runaround continued. Sauce allegedly bounced her between departments, claimed her bank dispute blocked the refund, and contradicted itself multiple times. Even after her bank confirmed the case was closed, Sauce continued to insist otherwise—until her attorney brother stepped in and threatened legal action.

Lawsuit Details Refund Avoidance Tactics

The lawsuit paints a broader picture of what it calls Sauce’s “deliberate” pattern of deception. The company allegedly over-promises on delivery windows to hook customers, then relies on vague or false status updates to placate them once delays start stacking up.

But the real issue, the lawsuit claims, is what happens after the food arrives late or wrong. According to the complaint, Sauce has developed a refund-avoidance playbook: transfer requests across departments, claim phantom delays, cite banking issues that don’t exist, and make customers chase support until they give up.

These tactics, the plaintiff alleges, aren’t accidental—they’re built into Sauce’s business model. By denying or delaying legitimate refunds, the company boosts its bottom line while leaving frustrated customers with the bill.

Other Food Services Face Similar Legal Challenges

Sauce isn’t the only food service facing legal fire over alleged customer deception. Shake Shack is being sued over hidden delivery and service fees added at checkout. Chipotle has faced scrutiny for disguising service fees as sales tax, and McDonald’s has been accused of misleading customers about breakfast drink pricing. 

Starbucks and Dunkin’ have also faced backlash for surprise fees—like extra charges for non-dairy milk or dine-in service.

Ingber wants to represent anyone in the US who ordered through Sauce and experienced significant delays with deliveries. She is suing for violations of California business laws and fraud, and is seeking injunctive relief, restitution, damages, fees, costs, and interest.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Copaken v. Shake Shack Inc.
• Case Number: 2:25-cv-02881 
• Court: US District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division 

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Jason M. Ingber (Ingber Law Group)

Have you used the Sauce delivery app? What was your experience like? Share your thoughts on this lawsuit in the comments below.