A troubling incident in the Lakewood–Toms River area has raised major concern after three young children mistakenly ate non-kosher food due to confusion between two similarly named restaurants.

According to a report by CBN, the incident unfolded while the children’s parents were out of town. A frum babysitter ordered dinner through Uber Eats, intending to order from a kosher restaurant. When the food arrived, the three children sat down to eat. One of the children, an 8-year-old, reportedly went over to a cousin’s home and joined the other two children for the meal.

“Three frum children sat down and ate treif,” said a source who spoke with the family. “Only later on, when the older sister came home, did she realize what had happened.”

The confusion appears to have stemmed from the similarity between “Smash House Burgers,” a newly opened kosher establishment in Toms River that opened just the week before, and “Smashburger,” a non-kosher chain.

The kosher restaurant, which recently opened in the area, offers items that had not previously been widely available locally, including kosher versions of cheeseburgers.

According to the report, the kosher establishment was not clearly labeled as “kosher” on Uber Eats, unlike many other eateries, making it even easier to confuse with the non-kosher chain.

Many described the broader concern, with one commentator noting that “the Lakewood area was introduced to a food item that has never been offered locally, and within a week a terrible michshol happened.”

The incident has since sparked widespread discussion within the community, with many weighing in on responsibility and next steps.

Some have raised concerns about the types of items being offered, which are similar to non kosher foods. Others focused on additional practical solutions to prevent similar incidents, including ensuring clearer labeling on delivery platforms.

“Clearly mark yourself as kosher on Uber Eats,” one online commenter urged. “Every kosher eatery says ‘Kosher’ on Uber Eats, but Smash House Burger does not, so it can easily be mixed up with the treif Smashburger – and that’s most likely what happened to this poor frum baby sister,” he added.

At the same time, some pushed back against placing blame on any single party. As one community member put it, “Is it the babysitter’s fault? Is it the store? Is it the children? Everyone is pointing fingers, but if these were your children you would be talking very differently.”

“The leaders of Lakewood and Toms River need to move quickly, along with the owners of this food establishment, to make sure this can’t happen again,” he added.