Cuban Sandwich Factory in Belfast receives delayed Deliveroo payments

The Cuban Sandwich Factory, a restaurant in Belfast, has received overdue payments from Deliveroo following a lengthy delay. The business owner, Carlos Argüelles Leblanch, reported that over £7,000 in funds had been withheld for nearly two months, threatening the restaurant with permanent closure.

Leblanch suggested the delay was triggered by banking compliance reviews at Citibank, potentially due to the words ‘Cuban’ and ‘Factory’ in the business name and its association with U.S. sanctions against Cuba. He clarified that the restaurant is a UK-registered company with no ties to the Cuban government. While the owner attributed the issue to the impact of American policy, a Citibank spokesperson stated the matter required a ‘necessary compliance review’ and that the payments were processed after completion, though the bank did not directly link the delay to sanctions.

The restaurant had temporarily suspended Deliveroo orders to prevent further debt accumulation, relying instead on phone orders for pickup. Following social media attention and pressure from Deliveroo, the funds were eventually released.