Dark kitchens, also known as “Ghost Kitchens” or “Cloud Kitchens,” were born to fill a severe gap during the pandemic. When we were encouraged to stay away from one another, the idea of ordering food and groceries via an app took off with a bang. The likes of Checkers60, restaurants on UberEats, and Mr D quite literally blew up.🍔🥤🍟 Dark kitchens are virtual kitchens that set up shop in areas close to where people live and work. They must be within the minimal km radius needed to deliver food speedily. They don’t take up expensive, ground-floor retail space with good shop front exposure. Instead, they take up basement spaces with minimal windows, first-floor space, warehouse space, or more affordable commercial spaces with electricity and water for the kitchen set up. Customers do not visit dark kitchens to sit down, order, and eat; rather, they can call in or order via an app. The dark kitchen then prepares their meal and delivers it to them. With this model, restauranteurs have been able to save money on expensive retail fit-outs, staff, and rent while still being able to serve their customers. Because the kitchen is behind the scenes, many brands can be housed in one kitchen without the consumer ever knowing it. Click on my latest article below to read about a new company that has the potential to change the face of fast-food retail in #SouthAfrica… 🇿🇦