The meaning of cloud that we knew in our childhood is different from the ones that we know these days! Today everything is on cloud-starting from our photos, files, movies, services, business, and even kitchen!
Cloud kitchens or the ghost kitchens, are the virtual restaurants which operate as ‘delivery only’ entities without any physical space for dine-in or takeaway. They are even known as dark or satellite kitchens. These are tech-enabled and offer door delivery. You can place the order while on road and get food delivered even before you reach your home!
You may say ‘This isn’t something new’ and you are right! Pizza places have been running this model for a long time. But new players are exploring this option in India due to increased demand for online delivery, higher rents, thinning margins and more recently due to the pandemic!
Cloud kitchens offers opportunity to launch more than one brand using the same infrastructure and resources, profiting the restaurateur. So different cuisines under different brand names can be prepared in the same set up.
Let’s see the some of the benefits and challenges faced by these virtual restaurants.
| Benefits | Potential challenges |
| Less risk venture | Dependency on third party delivery apps |
| Low operational costs | Building brand name |
| Higher profits | No customer data |
| Optimal efficiency of workforce | Maintaining consistency in food quality |
Since the cloud kitchen concept is still an untapped potential and has been continuously growing in last one decade, we can expect to see it establish itself more aggressively. And futuristic incorporation of AI or drone delivery or kitchen automation seem more possible than ever, thereby signaling disruption to standard restaurant model. So Cloud kitchens are very much here to stay.
The BLEND’s top 3 favourite virtual restaurants in:
Bangalore:
The Bowl Company
Behrouz Biryani
Khichdi Experiment
Delhi:
BIMBo
The Deli Salad Co.
Yours Truly Butter Chicken (YTBC)
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