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More than one way to go virtual: The delivery-only restaurant brand space grows more complex with myriad modelsMore than one way to go virtual: The delivery-only restaurant brand space grows more complex with myriad models

Ghost, host and dark kitchens become popular growth “hack” for chains looking to boost off-premise revenues

Nancy Luna, Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

August 25, 2020

10 Min Read
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Ghost kitchens. Host kitchens. Dark kitchens. Virtual restaurant. Delivery-only menus.

Whatever you want to call them, this seemingly infinite virtual restaurant space — geared for delivery-only products — is erupting amid the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants, many of which are still operating with limited to zero indoor dining capacity, are turning to various forms of ghost kitchens to create new off-premise revenue channels.

But are restaurants cannibalizing their own menus by creating delivery-only products? Or does it   matter in a world of third-party delivery, where consumers tend to filter for craveable foods like chicken wings and burgers?

“We had already been moving into a stay-at-home economy before the pandemic, and it has only ...

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About the Author

Nancy Luna

Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Nancy Luna is a senior editor at Nation's Restaurant News and a contributing editor at Supermarket News. She covers the industry's largest and most talked about fast-food brands including McDonald's, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years reporting experience. As a veteran business reporter based in Southern California, Nancy has covered some of the country's most beloved food and retail brands including In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Whole Foods Market, Target and Costco. Luna is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton. When she's not digging for news on her beat, you can find Nancy regaling her fans about her latest dining adventures on her Fast Food Maven social media channels. Contact [email protected]  or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fastfoodmaven

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