dark kitchens
Delivery-only food operations
Dark kitchens are commercial cooking facilities that prepare food exclusively for delivery, with no dine-in or walk-in customers.
Also called ghost kitchens or cloud kitchens, they operate behind the scenes—often housing multiple restaurant brands in one space.
The model emerged with the rise of food delivery apps: Three different restaurants on the app actually share the same dark kitchen.
Food ordering platform
- Uber EatsApp-based meal delivery
- DoorDashFood delivery service
- GrubhubFood delivery service
- courierDelivery person or service
takeout · dispatch · tracking · packaging · contactless · doorstep · mobile app · fulfillment
Making edibles ready
- chefProfessional kitchen leader
- cuisineCharacteristic cooking style
- recipeCooking preparation instructions
- cookingPreparing food with heat
prep station · ingredients · batch cooking · plating · food safety · hygiene · equipment · ventilation
New business enterprise
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- scalabilityCapacity for growth
- investmentDeploying capital for returns
- venture capitalStartup growth financing
profitability · commission fees · shared space · licensing · B2B · food tech · expansion · overhead
Kept out of sight
- facelessLacking identity or features
- anonymousOf unknown origin
- secretiveInclined to conceal
- windowlessHaving no windows
unmarked · industrial · behind-the-scenes · invisible · warehouse · unbranded · mystery · obscured
Deliveroo
Food ordering platform
courier · takeout · dispatch · tracking · packaging · contactless · doorstep · mobile app · fulfillment · last-mile
food preparation
Making edibles ready
- chefProfessional kitchen leader
- cuisineCharacteristic cooking style
- recipeCooking preparation instructions
cooking · prep station · ingredients · batch cooking · plating · food safety · hygiene · equipment · ventilation · storage
startup
New business enterprise
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- scalabilityCapacity for growth
- investmentDeploying capital for returns
venture capital · profitability · commission fees · shared space · licensing · B2B · food tech · expansion · overhead · real estate
hidden
Kept out of sight
windowless · unmarked · industrial · behind-the-scenes · invisible · warehouse · unbranded · mystery · obscured · unlisted