On a cold winter day, if you’re craving a fresh hot pizza, a stack of warm pancakes, or a juicy cheeseburger, it’s easy to turn to an app on your phone to quickly place an order and have it delivered right to your door. But if you’ve ever wondered how restaurants keep up with the demands of diners, those who take food-to-go, and those who order through delivery apps, especially over the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the solution might lie in the rapidly expanding new trend of Ghost Kitchens.
Ghost Kitchens, known sometimes as “dark kitchens” or “cloud kitchens” are a new type of “third place” space that has been silently transforming the restaurant industry. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, and consumers expect the delivery of goods and services as quickly as the push of a button on an app, the industry has been forced to find new ways to break away from traditional operations to match the demand. Many restaurants, both chain and individually owned, are turning to ghost kitchens as a way to survive, and thrive, in the future of the food and beverage industry. According to a report by Restaurant industry & Market Evolution, 52% of surveyed restaurants are considering setting up a ghost kitchen or some sort of delivery-only service as an offshoot of their brand.
