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Virtual restaurant brands continue to flood the market nationwideVirtual restaurant brands continue to flood the market nationwide

Here’s the latest roundup of new off-premise concepts available for delivery only, offering everything from Japanese rice balls to high-end cocktails

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

February 12, 2021

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The move toward delivery-only restaurant concepts with no brick-and-mortar presence continues to grow, accelerated by the pandemic.

Restaurant companies from Logan’s Roadhouse parent SPB Hospitality and Denny’s to regional brands like Fish City Grill and Shakeys have been expanding with delivery-only menus, for example.

But they’re certainly not alone.

Muscle Maker Grill, a brand that’s been expanding into the virtual brand space with gusto throughout the pandemic, introduced yet another virtual brand this month. The company also announced three upcoming virtual brands yet to be revealed.

Mr. Beast Burger, a new virtual brand from Virtual Dining Concepts and Eric Greenspan built with YouTube personality Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, debuted with over 300 locations and crashed the ordering app during its launch. This was the largest debut for a Virtual Dining Concepts brand, which has a strategy of working with celebrities to create franchise brands.

And the multiconcept TAO Hospitality Group got into the game with its classic Italian fare at Luchini, cooked in the group’s LAVO kitchen in New York City.

There are dozens of indies entering the virtual market as well including Iron Chef Jose Garces who launched two new virtual brands in Philadelphia; a new ghost bar concept in New York City; a reincarnation of a popular restaurant that closed as a pop-u; and a fresh crab concept selling shellfish by the pound and more.

See the newest virtual brands here.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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