The History of ghost kitchens
The concept of ghost kitchens or commercial spaces that are explicitly used for takeout and delivery rather than in-restaurant dining has been around for decades. However, the rise of food delivery platforms like UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash in the 2010s has led to a significant increase in the popularity and proliferation of ghost kitchens.
One of the first examples of a ghost kitchen can be traced back to the 1970s when Kitchen 24 opened a central kitchen in Los Angeles to prepare food for delivery to local restaurants. In the 1980s and 1990s, companies like Joe’s Pizza and Sbarro began using central kitchens to prepare food for delivery to their franchise locations.
In the early 2010s, several start-ups began experimenting with the concept of ghost kitchens as a way to expand their reach and increase their profitability. Companies like CloudKitchens, Chef’d, and Kitchen United opened large, shared kitchen spaces used by multiple restaurants to prepare food for delivery.
The rise of food delivery platforms in the 2010s has further fueled the growth of ghost kitchens. Many restaurants have started using ghost kitchens to tap into the growing market for takeout and delivery without the overhead costs of maintaining a physical storefront. Established restaurant chains have also embraced Ghost Kitchens to expand their reach and increase profitability.
Overall, ghost kitchens’ history reflects the food industry’s evolution and the increasing demand for convenient, delivery-based dining options.