The Future of Ghost Kitchens

When ghost kitchens came onto the scene two years ago, the concept was so new that even some in the food industry didn’t understand them. A foodservice co-working space, a ghost kitchen has the front-of-the-house removed and the primary focus in these “virtual kitchens” is production for delivery or pickup, without any seating provided. Today ghost kitchens continue to thrive. They help with labor issues and are a trend that is here to stay.

Ghost Kitchen Strategy Matures

As businesses continue to deal with the effects of the Covid pandemic, ghost kitchens are evolving. While some customers are comfortable returning to eat in restaurants, others have chosen to rely on take-out or delivery to fulfill their restaurant fix. In fact, 53 percent of adults in the United States say that getting delivery or take-out is essential and 68 percent say that they’re more likely to get restaurant take-out than before the pandemic began.

This trend of getting food from a restaurant but consuming it off-premises is a ripe environment for more concepts. But the ghost kitchen concept has to evolve to serve the needs of customers where they are. Seeing ghost kitchens in large box retail environments or in food halls are ways that the concept can stay relevant in places never previously imagined.

Big Data Will Power Decisions

How can ghost kitchen brands tap into consumer ordering trends that will help shape new concepts? That’s an easy one. Technology.

Without the right types of technologies, the ordering and payment system would not be efficient. Being able to track what’s being ordered helps managers know what’s popular and trending in their area. Payments couldn’t be able to be processed quickly online. Delivery would not be contactless, something customers continue to expect. And the cooking processes would not be as efficient and as profitable. Just look at the importance of connectivity and what it means to be a smart kitchen to understand the importance of technology in today’s ghost kitchen business model.

Foodservice Manufacturers Must Stay Nimble

Food trends and ideas can change quickly. Being on top of the changes and providing solutions to help businesses evolve is something foodservice manufacturers need to be aware of. Having the right equipment, technologies, and kitchen solutions can help ghost kitchen brands stay at the top of the foodservice game.

Would you like to see what we mean firsthand? Take a journey into our collection of kitchen layouts to see the different facets of a successful ghost kitchen operation.