Inside the ghost kitchens haunting Austin’s restaurant industry
Have you ever heard of a “ghost kitchen”? A few are open and operating throughout Austin, so KXAN looked at how they impact the local food industry.
Ghost kitchens, also known as cloud kitchens or dark kitchens, are food production units built to prepare food specifically for delivery. The concept had become popular in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdowns and travel restrictions kept people at home.
Ghost kitchens operate out of pre-existing restaurant chains or commercial facilities and prepare food for delivery through third-party apps such as DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates. However, their relative lack of transparency on these apps has posed a challenge for health regulators and customers. While ghost kitchens must adhere to the same food safety regulations as traditional restaurants, it is not as easy for customers to determine whether a virtual vendor complies if they only know the name listed on the app. Some critics have raised concerns that brick-and-mortar restaurants may be able to avoid public scrutiny over low health inspection ratings by using a virtual brand with a different name on delivery apps.