2020 brought a lot of challenges to the foodservice industry, but it also made for some truly creative and amazing solutions to situations we never saw coming. Ghost kitchens are a great example of this. They’re also an important means of sales for foodservice operations now and even as the world begins to move forward from the pandemic.

Ghost kitchens have gained an incredible amount of traction with models that don’t utilize on-premise dining. These types of operations allow operators to launch businesses at pre-equipped locations with partnerships using delivery apps, and even allow chains to launch completely virtual brands. It also allows operators the ability to market multiple concepts out of the same kitchen.

Best of all, it seems like most consumers are open to trying ghost kitchens and pop-up restaurants with 57% saying they would give virtual restaurants a try even if they were operated by an existing restaurant they don’t prefer¹. Add that to the fact that consumers are motivated to support local restaurants that need to reopen as ghost kitchens² and you can see the appeal for operators trying to come up with creative ways to serve their community.

Ghost kitchens still have a lot of room to grow in terms of customer awareness, but they are growing. While it’s vital to keep in mind the importance of transparency and honesty, as is the case with any operation, most data points to the industry being ready and consumers being supportive of this new inventive possibility!

Content courtesy of High Liner Foods

¹Datassential, Virtual Brands and Ghost Kitchens, November 2020

²Datassential, Virtual Brands and Ghost Kitchens, November 2