A Fort Lauderdale woman has gone viral after giving viewers an inside look at mysterious food outlet, FTL Food. However, viewers are skeptical over how safe it is.
When hunger strikes, narrowing down the best late-night fast food spots feels like a challenge. However, TikToker @pickabill seems to have found a solution to this problem.
In a TikTok that has garnered 264,900 views, the user started by filming herself outside.
“Let me put you into this spot I just found in Fort Lauderdale,” she said, angling the camera to show the front of the building. “So, if you’re out late at night and want to get some food, they have this place called FTL food.”
As she entered the building and walked down the bare corridor, she said, “So it’s basically like this little secluded place. You come in here, and this is all they have.”
The camera pans around the room, which is bare and empty apart from some large tablets for ordering, leather benches, and a wall of different lockers labelled by letter and number.
She then proceeded to use the tablet, which showed a wide variety of food including New York grilled cheese, halal food, tacos, and street food, among others.
She also points out a small door which seems to be where the invisible employees presumably come from.
“You get your food, you pick it up right here, you gotta speak to no one, you get your food and you go,” she explained.
As she leaves, she continues, “I think whoever came out with this business model is so smart. Continue making businesses, because this is absolutely amazing, like what? So convenient, you get your food and you go.”
BroBible reached out to the creator via an online contact form.
What Did Commenters Think?
Multiple commenters were disturbed by the minimalist and secluded set-up. Was it innocent, or some kind of other restaurant trick? Users weren’t sure.
“Questioning the safety and the secluded location hmmmm,” one wrote.
“Sounds like the start to a horror flick,” a second added.
While a third shared, “This place is scary!!!!”
Elsewhere, a fourth asked, “Where is the human interaction?”
A fifth opined, “Eating from a dungeon is crazy,” while a sixth remarked, “Not my kinda vibe. It’s giving social isolation.”
@pickabill Secret Fort lauderdale food spot
Is FTL Food A Ghost Kitchen?
Many commenters also noted that FTL Food could be considered a ghost kitchen. A ghost kitchen, in turn, is essentially a remote area a business rents for the sole purpose of creating takeout or delivery orders.
While it still has a working kitchen where staff complete orders behind the scenes, there is no external seating or storefront. As Feeser’s points out, this means that the establishment is able to cut costs.
On its website, FTL Food Hub describes itself as “a restaurant co-op that’s modernizing the traditional food hall experience.” The business also claims that it works with over 20 partner restaurants including Naz’s Halal Food, New York Grilled Cheese Express, and Loaded Halal, among others.
BroBible reached out to FTL Food via Instagram direct message.