The way we order food has changed dramatically in recent years
With the rise of food delivery apps and evolving consumer habits, the hospitality industry has had to adapt.
Enter: Ghost kitchens.
And I know you’re thinking it, but no, it’s not a kitchen full of levitating utensils and condiments that’s staffed by actual ghosts.
So what is a ghost kitchen?
Ghost kitchens – also known as virtual kitchens, cloud kitchens or dark kitchens – are commercial spaces designed solely for preparing food and bevvy orders for online delivery.
Unlike traditional hospo spots that have a front-of-house and dine-in area for physical interactions with customers, a ghost kitchen instead operates behind the scenes.
Essentially it’s all kitchen without the restaurant-y bells and whistles. Here’s how it works:
- Someone places an order online or through their chosen food delivery app
- Staff prepare the order in a shared or dedicated ghost kitchen
- Once the order is ready, a delivery driver collects the food and delivers it directly to the customer
Some ghost kitchens are run by a single business, while others host multiple online restaurant concepts under one roof which allows for flexible and cost-effective operations. These are referred to as Virtual Brands.
You can find out more about Virtual Brands and how Doshii can help here.
Ghost kitchens are helping businesses tap into the growing demand for food delivery – minus the overheads of a traditional venue
We’ve put together a quick comparison below, so you can see how a ghost kitchen differs from your typical brick-and-mortar venue.
| Ghost Kitchens | Brick-and-Mortar Restaurants |
|---|---|
| No dine-in area, only delivery | Has a dine-in area with more customer interaction |
| Lower overheads | Higher costs due to rent, staffing, and utilities |
| Streamlined for quick delivery | Balances both dine-in and delivery orders |
| Digital-only experience | In-person dining experience with digital option for delivery |
For many hospo businesses, ghost kitchens are a game-changer. Here’s why:
- They have lower costs with no need for expensive fit-outs, front-of-house staff or high-rent locations
- There’s scalability opportunities, as well as the ability to test new markets without needing to open multiple venues
- They can increase their efficiency by focusing on preparing food for delivery, streamlining production and reducing their wait times
- There are opportunities to expand and experiment with multiple brands or cuisines under one roof, run by the same business
- They adapt better to demand by adjusting their operations to what their customers are after
The potential of profitability in a ghost kitchen is strong, but success depends on a number of factors:
- Location and customer preferences play a big role in profitability
- Streamlining workflows and leveraging technology can keep costs low
- A strong online presence and good reviews can boost sales
- Managing ingredient costs and portion sizes can help maintain margins
With the right strategy, ghost kitchens can generate high returns without the financial risk of a traditional restaurant setup.
Ghost kitchens thrive on integration with food delivery apps
These delivery platforms provide the visibility and customer base needed for success. However, managing multiple apps can become overwhelming – especially when juggling orders across different platforms such as Uber Eats, Menulog and DoorDash. That’s where smart tech solutions come in.
With POS integration, ghost kitchens can sync orders from various apps directly through a venue POS system, reducing errors, eliminating manual entry, and improving efficiency.
Enter: Doshii *wink*
Hospo spots are serving up smarter ghost kitchens with Doshii
Running a ghost kitchen without the right tech? That’s a recipe for chaos. Between juggling multiple delivery apps, manually entering orders, and keeping menus updated across delivery platforms, things can get messy, fast.
Let Doshii help your ghost kitchen keep its cool under pressure by syncing every order and update straight to your POS. We’ll even move the payment through your POS too.
No more double-handling. No more mix-ups. Just smoooooth service from kitchen to delivery driver.
With Doshii, ghost kitchens can:
- Sync every order from Uber Eats, Menulog and DoorDash to one POS, so nothing gets lost in translation
- Automate order flow and reduce errors, keeping things running like a well-oiled machine
- Change pricing and availability of dishes and specials across platforms without the manual mayhem
- Get insights into what’s working, what’s not, and where to tweak things for maximum profitability
No tricks, just treats – the future of ghost kitchens is shaping up to be a ghoulishly good time.
Ghost kitchens aren’t a passing fad– they’re shaking up hospo in all the right ways.
Whether you’re a restaurant keen to expand without the hefty overheads, a food entrepreneur cooking up a fresh concept, or a delivery-first operator wanting to streamline your service, Doshii offers a smarter way to dish out success.
With our tech on your side, you can focus on creating crave-worthy food while we keep your operations running buttery smooth.
Still have questions about how a POS-integration service like Doshii can help your ghost kitchen venture to thrive? Or wondering how we can improve your delivery service operations? Click here to book a FREE 15-minute consultation with Doshii, today.