Ghost Kitchen 101

If you’re running a restaurant, you’ve probably heard of “ghost kitchens.” They’ve become a lot more prevalent thanks to the pandemic, and you may be wondering if establishing a ghost kitchen could work for you. Here’s what organic places to eat should consider when it comes to ghost kitchens. 

What is a Ghost Kitchen?

A ghost kitchen, sometimes called a dark or virtual kitchen, is a restaurant that doesn’t exist in the traditional sense. You can’t look it up on Google Maps and stop in for a bite to eat. You can’t call up and make a reservation.

Instead, a ghost kitchen exists as a delivery-only restaurant. You can find them on third-party apps like Seamless or DoorDash, but you won’t be able to place an order for pickup. These have been popping up in recent years, but the recent pandemic and restaurant owners need to get creative have fueled a boom in the creation of ghost kitchens. Creating one, or even a few, might be a good idea for your restaurant.

How You Can Benefit From a Ghost Kitchen

A ghost kitchen won’t completely revolutionize your business, but opening one up can offer a few benefits. A ghost kitchen can mean:

Time to specialize: Ghost kitchens are often focused on making a few different foods in a specific niche. Think wings, burgers, or sandwiches. If you had a broader menu, someone hungering for a specific dish might not have found you. But they could end up finding your ghost kitchen that sells burgers when they need a burger.

A chance to experiment: A ghost kitchen can allow you to experiment with some dishes that you wanted to cook before, but didn’t have room for on your menu. You can specialize, but add new ingredients, custom options, or side dishes that you never got the chance to add to your conventional menu. For example, if you specialize in wings, you can try out some new flavors. Does your ghost kitchen sell burgers? Use this opportunity to try out a new veggie burger option.

You attract more customers: As we mentioned earlier, it’s entirely possible to attract more customers with your ghost kitchen. This is especially true if you have multiple ghost kitchens set up. A card or menu that indicates the name of your actual eatery can help turn a satisfied ghost kitchen customer into a regular at your actual organic eatery.

You can take advantage of food delivery apps: In the age of food delivery apps, finding a way to expand your online presence and increase your odds of being found is key. Establishing a ghost kitchen or two can potentially help you take advantage of these apps and their reach.

What to Keep in Mind

Before you open up a ghost kitchen, consider your menu and how it can fit a ghost kitchen concept. Also, be honest about how efficiently your eatery is running. Can you handle another endeavor, even a minor one like establishing a ghost kitchen? If the answer is yes, you could reap the benefits!

Remember to visit the Organic Restaurants blog to learn more about ghost kitchens and other dining trends!