There are many advantages for these kitchens:
- They can work out of any space, often choosing cheaper space (cost per sq ft) such as in industrial parks.
- There is no need for a seating area or for service staff (although some may employ their own delivery service).
- Multiple brands can operate out of the same space. Some enterprising owners can establish a high end menu for one brand and another for typical fast food such as chicken wings and cheese steaks. The customer ordering on an app will never know.
So are there any food safety concerns? We've not heard of any issues to this point. Like restaurants, these kitchens must be inspected, so that helps to ensure that the facilities have the necessary requirements.
For the customer, there is no opportunity to see the establishment like there is with a dine-in restaurant, so customer don't have that chance to judge with your eyes. (How many restaurants have you skipped over because of the way they looked?) There is also not as much a history associated with the establishment, which is another factor used to judge.
We are just in the beginning of this new evolutionary development. We have yet to see the degree to which consumers will continue to want their readied meals delivered. It is easy to suspect that some percent will continue. And if so, to what degree will ghost kitchens be able to complete against established restaurants with dine-in services.
We are just in the beginning of this new evolutionary development. We have yet to see the degree to which consumers will continue to want their readied meals delivered. It is easy to suspect that some percent will continue. And if so, to what degree will ghost kitchens be able to complete against established restaurants with dine-in services.
Over time, bad operators will shake out, whether that be from inefficiency or from poor quality. Operators who remain will continue to define their brands, refine their menus, and configure their delivery systems. Hopefully along the way, operators will have a focus on food safety, sparring the public from foodborne illness.
To establish a recognized brand, ghost kitchens will be wise to establish a social media presence with pictures of the operation highlighting the cleanliness and sophistication of well run kitchen. Presentation is also important with sharp packaging with well wrapped product delivered at appropriate temperatures. Quality and safety of product of course are paramount, so there can never be cutting of corners, such as cutting corners to meet periods of high demand, or creatively recycling 'old' product during periods of low demand.
https://www.morningagclips.com/whats-a-ghost-kitchen-a-food-industry-expert-explains/
What's a ghost kitchen? A food industry expert explains
Ghost kitchens are physical spaces for operators to create food for off-premises consumption
https://www.morningagclips.com/whats-a-ghost-kitchen-a-food-industry-expert-explains/
What's a ghost kitchen? A food industry expert explains
Ghost kitchens are physical spaces for operators to create food for off-premises consumption
PUBLISHED ON JULY 5, 2021
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (THE CONVERSATION) — While the phrase “ghost kitchen” may conjure up images of haunted houses, the reality is a bit more mundane.
Ghost kitchens are food prep operations with no waiters, no dining room and no parking lot – really, no public presence whatsoever.
But on food delivery apps, they’re alive and well.
In short, ghost kitchens are physical spaces for operators to create food for off-premises consumption. And on apps like Grubhub and DoorDash, listings for restaurants operating out of ghost kitchens usually don’t look any different than those for brick-and-mortar operations. For example, where I live in northern Colorado, there’s a restaurant called Rocco’s Ravioli that appears on the apps. But Rocco’s doesn’t have a storefront. It’s a food delivery service that makes food in a ghost kitchen.
One trend I’m seeing is the formation of central, commissary-style ghost kitchens with multiple restaurants or brands working out of the same physical space. These are often located in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities, since there’s no need to pay downtown rents when there’s no front-of-house operation.
Why ghost kitchens matter
While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the first ghost kitchen opened, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that accelerated their growth.
By March 2020, most U.S. jurisdictions had forced restaurants to close their dining rooms to limit the spread of the coronavirus. While some restaurants closed never to reopen, others pivoted to a delivery or carry-out model with varying levels of success.
Some small food operators used ghost kitchens to get a foothold in the market during a time when opening a standard restaurant with a dining room would have been unthinkable. As long as the high fees charged by the major delivery services could be mitigated or built into the price, food delivery outfits working out ghost kitchens could find a way to make a living. Even national chains like Chili’s and Applebee’s used ghost kitchens to keep cash flowing and test new menu items using different brand names in case the ideas flopped.
With customers adapting to the trend quickly and easily, it’s likely that ghost kitchens are here to stay.
The Conversation U.S. publishes short, accessible explanations of newsworthy subjects by academics in their areas of expertise.
–Jeffrey Miller Colorado State University
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (THE CONVERSATION) — While the phrase “ghost kitchen” may conjure up images of haunted houses, the reality is a bit more mundane.
Ghost kitchens are food prep operations with no waiters, no dining room and no parking lot – really, no public presence whatsoever.
But on food delivery apps, they’re alive and well.
In short, ghost kitchens are physical spaces for operators to create food for off-premises consumption. And on apps like Grubhub and DoorDash, listings for restaurants operating out of ghost kitchens usually don’t look any different than those for brick-and-mortar operations. For example, where I live in northern Colorado, there’s a restaurant called Rocco’s Ravioli that appears on the apps. But Rocco’s doesn’t have a storefront. It’s a food delivery service that makes food in a ghost kitchen.
One trend I’m seeing is the formation of central, commissary-style ghost kitchens with multiple restaurants or brands working out of the same physical space. These are often located in industrial parks on the outskirts of cities, since there’s no need to pay downtown rents when there’s no front-of-house operation.
Why ghost kitchens matter
While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the first ghost kitchen opened, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that accelerated their growth.
By March 2020, most U.S. jurisdictions had forced restaurants to close their dining rooms to limit the spread of the coronavirus. While some restaurants closed never to reopen, others pivoted to a delivery or carry-out model with varying levels of success.
Some small food operators used ghost kitchens to get a foothold in the market during a time when opening a standard restaurant with a dining room would have been unthinkable. As long as the high fees charged by the major delivery services could be mitigated or built into the price, food delivery outfits working out ghost kitchens could find a way to make a living. Even national chains like Chili’s and Applebee’s used ghost kitchens to keep cash flowing and test new menu items using different brand names in case the ideas flopped.
With customers adapting to the trend quickly and easily, it’s likely that ghost kitchens are here to stay.
The Conversation U.S. publishes short, accessible explanations of newsworthy subjects by academics in their areas of expertise.
–Jeffrey Miller Colorado State University
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