US Foods Launches Ghost Kitchens Program to Help Restaurants Expand Off-Premise Dining and Delivery Menus
Ghost kitchens strategy is intended to help restaurateurs create additional revenue streams while on-premise dining is reduced due to COVID-19 pandemic.
US Foods announced the launch of US Foods Ghost Kitchens, a program designed to guide restaurant operators every step of the way when opening their own operation, helping them easily add a new revenue stream. With the addition of this program, US Foods customers now have access to exclusive resources developed to streamline the process of starting a ghost kitchen, including proprietary technology to help identify menu opportunities, a detailed playbook to guide decision making, dedicated marketing support, webinars and one-on-one consultations with US Foods specialists.
Ghost kitchens, also referred to as dark or virtual kitchens, are professional kitchen facilities set up to support delivery or carryout meals only, offering restaurant operators an opportunity to start an additional revenue stream. Currently, with dine-in restrictions due to COVID-19, most restaurants are experiencing challenges managing through the minimum dining room capacity operators say is needed to make reopening work financially. As a result, 75% of restaurant operators now consider off-premise dining to be their best growth opportunity.1