August 20, 2020

Peter Cook, Editor

Ghost Kitchens continue to grow in popularity and, as a result, the number of news articles and stories continues to grow. Some decent coverage and analysis over the past week. Execution will be the key, but it seems like the signs are positive!

Please note that we recently started a LinkedIn Group focused on ghost kitchens. Please join us for great networking and information. You can join here.

Enjoy the newsletter and have a great rest of the week!

Issue #4

Just How Many Virtual Brands Are There?

The delivery-only concepts seem to spreading like wildfire amid the pandemic, and a recent estimate from Chowly pegs their total number at 100,000.


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Even More Chains Jump on the Ghost Kitchen Bandwagon

Fazoli’s, Dickey’s and more are launching delivery-only concepts to reach consumers looking for off-premise options amid the pandemic.


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New “Ghost Kitchens” Group on LinkedIn

Join this brand new group of industry professionals for networking, news, and education.


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Chili's Parent Company CEO Says New Virtual Delivery-Only Restaurant First of Other, Similar Concepts

Brinker International, parent company of Chili’s and Maggiano’s, discussed the concept behind It’s Just Wings during calls with investors and the media. The delivery-only restaurant is just the first of a developing portfolio of similar concepts.


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Chili’s, DoorDash Detail Strides in Delivery Partnership

Both Chili’s and Maggiano’s have exclusive delivery deals with DoorDash—that’s driving off-premises sales for the restaurants.


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Cloud Kitchens And COVID-19: An Interview With Wade Allen, Head Of Innovation For Brinker International

Good podcast interview with one of the Brinker executives who launched there successful virtual brand.


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Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Launches a Ghost Kitchen Network as a Money-Saving Incentive for Franchisees

Dickey’s will be launching virtual restaurants in Chicago, Houston and Orlando, as well as opening one in a new market — Providence, R.I.


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Capriotti’s Leverages Innovation to Thrive in Pandemic

The sandwich chain rolled out Wagyu beef and is exploring virtual brands.


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FAT Brands to Buy Johnny Rockets for $25 Million

The deal will give the growing company more than 700 locations, likely to accelerate their ghost kitchen initiatives as well.


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Baristas Munchie Magic Doubles Locations Over Past 30 Days From 12 to 24 Delivering Ben & Jerry's and Snacks to Customers

The newest 12 of the rapidly expanding Munchie Magic virtual restaurants that deliver Ben & Jerry's ice cream and other snack foods through its third-party delivery partners Uber Eats, GrubHub, and DoorDash, span from south Seattle to Northern Everett, WA and surrounding areas.


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Muscle Maker Opens Second Ghost Kitchen Location in Chicago

The kitchen will showcase menus from Muscle Maker Grill, Healthy Joe’s and Muscle Maker Grill’s new Meal Plan concept – Meal Plan AF.


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Coyo Taco to Open Ghost Kitchen by End of Year

The popular Miami-based Mexican cuisine concept plans to open its first ghost kitchen within the next two months.


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Will They or Won’t They? Sweetgreen is Testing Ghost Kitchens, but Will the Chain Invest More Capital into this Emerging Space?

Chief Concept Officer Nicolas Jammet talks about the brand’s digital push and how delivery only kitchens might play a role.


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Ghost Kitchens Canada Announces Partnership with Red Bull

Ghost Kitchens Canada is thrilled to team up with the energy drink giant Red Bull to offer an exclusive menu available for delivery via Uber Eats, DoorDash and Skip the Dishes!


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Britain’s Ghost Restaurants: Local Lockdowns and Weekend Slumps Hinder Eat Out to Help Out

The discount scheme is a “double-edged sword” for some restaurants across the country.


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Dubai-Based Cloud Kitchen Platform Food To Go Launches In Saudi Arabia

Food To Go, a Dubai-based cloud kitchen concept, will begin operating three kitchens in Saudi Arabia in the fourth quarter of this year, while further expansion across the GCC region is expected in 2021.


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Dubai 'Ghost Kitchen' Kitopi is Adjusting to Life in a Pandemic

Dubai-based Kitopi describes itself as the Middle East's biggest managed cloud kitchen company, and has also made moves to expand into the US and United Kingdom.


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Singapore: Plight Of Cloud Kitchens: Are Food Delivery Firms Monopolising The S$300M F&B Delivery Game?

The cloud kitchen industry may soon go toe-to-toe with food delivery apps. With a monopoly over local markets, cloud kitchens will find it difficult to survive without the access to the customer streams delivery apps own.


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India: In A Move To Bring Focus On Core Business, Cure.fit Scales Down Eat.fit In 12 Cities

Covid-19 has brought down Eat.fit revenue significantly. The cloud kitchen is currently delivering only in three South Indian cities.


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Philippines: New eats: Tim Yap Heads for the 'Cloud' with New Food Venture Wok With Yap

When the new cloud restaurant Wok With Yap, owned by eventologist Tim Yap, officially rolls out on Monday, August 17, millennials will understandably have no association to the popular ‘80s cooking show, “Wok With Yan,” hosted by Chinese chef Stephen Yan.


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Why Ghost Kitchens Are On The Rise During The Pandemic

Ghost Kitchens and off-premise delivery have taken on a new dimension since the onset of the novel coronavirus; Delivery has become the sole means of operation for most restaurants around the world.


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Consumers to Chains: Go Ahead and Sell Me a Virtual Brand but be Transparent About Who’s Making It

Brinker, The Local Culinary and Datassential outline the current ghost kitchen landscape.


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In-House Delivery vs. Third-Party-App Delivery - The Case of Restaurant Cloud Integrators

There are a growing number of technology tools and cloud integrators that restaurateurs can choose from to manage their delivery orders, but you shouldn’t rush into adopting one app or another. If your delivery services aren’t executed properly, delivery could end up losing your restaurant money or damaging your brand.


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Grubhub’s Merger Partner Needs to Defend Its Lunch

Pandemic helped boost Just Eat Takeaway.com’s sales but is also making rivals like Uber double down on food delivery


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Just Eat Plans to Stop Using Gig Workers in Europe

Chief executive says he wants to employ people who get benefits and have job security.


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California Puts DoorDash in Its Crosshairs

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin on Wednesday announced he filed a motion that would force DoorDash to reclassify delivery workers as employees rather than as independent contractors.


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California Uber Rides Could Come to a Stop, but Uber Eats Still Has a Green Light

Uber Technologies Inc. rides may come to a halt in California next week, but Uber Eats — and the many drivers who have switched over to delivering for the service amid shelter-in-place orders — will go on.


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Pinning Hopes On Voters, Uber & Lyft Threaten To Pull Out Of CA

Ridesharing giants Uber and Lyft threatened to shut down operations in California this week, a power move in a battle that may ultimately be won or lost at the ballot box in November.


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Coronavirus Need for Online Ordering, Delivery Creates 'Ghost Kitchen' Trend

Fox Business News does a quick overview of the concept.


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Cloud Kitchens Become Green Shoots Within Restaurants

Cloud kitchens, also known as ghost kitchens, are virtual restaurant brands that have distinct listings on food delivery apps, yet share a physical kitchen with other “restaurants.”


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Portillo’s On Offering A Fast And Secure End-To-End Customer Experience

Restaurant delivery-app downloads have spiked 50 percent since the pandemic’s onset, but with it comes the increased risk of fraud.


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U.S. Foods Launches Ghost Kitchen Help for Operators

The food distributor’s new program will help restaurants identify successful virtual concepts and craft profitable menus.


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Shift4 Payments and Uber Eats Announce Partnership to Provide Integrated Online Ordering and Delivery Experience for Restaurants

Food orders placed through Uber Eats will sync directly with the point-of-sale software utilized by Shift4’s customers.


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A New Take on “Cloud Restaurants”

I think these guys misunderstood the concept of "cloud restaurant", but it was a good effort!


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