As ghost kitchens have skyrocketed in popularity, innovators and restaurant owners have searched for new ways to bring restaurants to the virtual world. Ghost kitchen markets are one of the most recent virtual kitchen trends. Virtual markets make it easy for customers to order from multiple restaurants at once, saving time and offering more convenience. Essentially, ghost food markets are virtual food halls--and an increasing number of businesses are hosting multiple restaurants under one umbrella.
Traditional food halls offer multiple restaurants in one building. Customers can check out the restaurants, order food and eat in a communal dining space. Like a food court, each restaurant has a small booth in the building. However, food courts focus on family-owned restaurants that prepare their own food instead of major chains with reheated meals.
Food halls allow customers to try different cuisines without driving to different locations. However, they'll still have to wait in line and regroup with their friends, which can be a little inconvenient. The COVID-19 pandemic has also made people more reluctant to order food in person. Fortunately, ghost food markets allow restaurants to stay in business and serve customers all day long.
A virtual food market like Kitchen Hub or Unfurl offers multiple restaurants under one umbrella company. Customers can visit their website or app to browse their menu. Traditionally, their menu features a variety of cuisines from different restaurants, including tacos, burgers, poke bowls, breakfast food and desserts. Instead of ordering separately from each restaurant, customers order everything at once and pay a single bill. This makes it much easier and more convenient for customers to patronize different restaurants.
Ghost food markets have a single kitchen where they prepare their food. Every restaurant cooks their food separately, then packages it together in a single order. Since ghost kitchens have no dine-in area, these facilities are closed to the public. Instead, customers order online and get the food delivered to their houses. Essentially, virtual markets have the same concept as a food market but without the physical location. Most markets start with a selection of restaurants, then gradually add more as their market gains in popularity.
The convenience for both customers and business owners has made ghost markets a rising virtual kitchen trend. Here's what customers like about ghost food markets:
Launching a ghost food market or joining an existing market also has a lot of benefits for restaurant owners. Here's why an increasing number of business owners have jumped on the virtual kitchen trend:
Overall, transitioning to a ghost food market could save an otherwise struggling business.
Every virtual market or ghost kitchen needs a restaurant SaaS to streamline the process. Cuboh integrates all your delivery partners and payment services together so you don't need to switch between several different apps. Schedule a free demo with Cuboh today, and learn what we can do for your virtual brand.