A “malware attack” has made the dining-out experience less than appetizing for some Canadian restaurants and their customers.
Restaurant chain “Recipe Unlimited” which owns popular brands like Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Milestone’s, and East Side Mario’s is apparently the target.
Some locations have been forced to temporarily close while others are offering reduced services, such as cash-only payment.
It is unclear how many restaurants in Kingston have been affected. A spokesperson for Recipe Unlimited said, “A malware virus disrupted operations in a small percentage of our restaurants.”
It’s been reported that an East Side Mario’s on Division Street had issues. A Kelsey’s on Gardiners Road wasn’t affected, according to owner-operator Tim Lloyd. He also owns a Montana’s next door, and said it only experienced a minimal disruption. Other than that, it’s been business as usual.
The attack happened on Friday, crippling customer payment systems meaning patrons were not able to use debit or credit cards.
A company spokesperson for Recipe Unlimited, the umbrella company that oversees the various brands, says they’re working with security experts and internal teams to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
The company says they are not being held ransom by the attack. They also have no evidence that any customer data was compromised. Some of the impacted restaurants are using manual systems to process credit-card charges.