ghost kitchens
Restaurants without seating
Ghost kitchens are commercial cooking facilities that prepare food exclusively for delivery, with no dining room or storefront for walk-in customers.
They exist only through delivery apps: The building houses six ghost kitchens, each serving a different cuisine.
Also called dark kitchens or virtual kitchens.
The model expanded rapidly during the pandemic as restaurants sought revenue without in-person dining.
Licensed business operation
- licensingGranting official permission
- scalabilityCapacity for growth
- startupNew business enterprise
- venture capitalStartup growth financing
subletting · commissary · turnkey · lease · profit margin · operating costs · real estate
Food delivery service
- GrubhubFood delivery service
- Uber EatsApp-based meal delivery
- PostmatesOn-demand delivery service
- takeoutRestaurant food for elsewhere
couriers · contactless delivery · packaging · fulfillment · delivery fee · delivery time · mobile ordering · pickup window
Lacking identity or features
- anonymousOf unknown origin
- behind-the-scenesHidden from public view
- industrial parkZoned area for factories
- warehouseBulk goods storage building
Planning food list presentation
- brand licensingPermission to use trademarks
- customer acquisitionWinning new paying clients
- social media marketingBrand promotion via platforms
- brand identityCompany's distinctive public face
logo · customer reviews · ratings · SEO · influencer marketing
Sequential task progression
- food prepReadying ingredients for cooking
- expeditingMaking progress faster
- inventoryCatalog of held assets
- ticket systemMethod for ordering requests
batch cooking · staff scheduling · peak hours · throughput · quality control · food safety · health inspection
franchise
Licensed business operation
- licensingGranting official permission
- scalabilityCapacity for growth
- startupNew business enterprise
venture capital · subletting · commissary · turnkey · lease · profit margin · operating costs · real estate
DoorDash
Food delivery service
takeout · couriers · contactless delivery · packaging · fulfillment · delivery fee · delivery time · mobile ordering · pickup window
faceless
Lacking identity or features
- anonymousOf unknown origin
- behind-the-scenesHidden from public view
- industrial parkZoned area for factories
warehouse · unmarked · invisible · windowless
menu design
Planning food list presentation
- brand licensingPermission to use trademarks
- customer acquisitionWinning new paying clients
- social media marketingBrand promotion via platforms
brand identity · logo · customer reviews · ratings · SEO · influencer marketing
workflow
Sequential task progression
- food prepReadying ingredients for cooking
- expeditingMaking progress faster
- inventoryCatalog of held assets
ticket system · batch cooking · staff scheduling · peak hours · throughput · quality control · food safety · health inspection
- food industryrestaurants, eateries, fast food, cafeterias, catering
- food trendsfusion, cronuts, oat milk, kombucha, cauliflower rice
- food techmeal kits, meal delivery, lab-grown meat, vertical farming, vertical farms
- Platform Economymarketplace, network effects, gig economy, digital marketplaces, sharing economy
- ghost kitchens
- delivery servicesDoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, Deliveroo, Postmates