If you have considered starting a restaurant but didn’t want to deal with renting a space and paying for expensive equipment, you have an option. A ghost kitchen does not require any of these things, and you can still serve your food to customers. Instead of coming to you, they order their food online, and it is delivered. If you’ve ever heard of these and wanted to know how to start one, here are some tips to help you.
Develop a Concept
Before you start telling people about your restaurant, you need to ensure you have a concept that will get customers interested. Your vision should be unique and able to appeal to diners. Many kitchens, like the Reef ghost kitchen, choose popular items. These include sandwiches, Asian and Mexican cuisine, and fried chicken. When preparing your menu, pick items that travel well and will be edible an hour later. If you want to test out options, start with a limited menu and see what diners like.
Write a Business Plan
After figuring out what you want your restaurant to focus on, you’ll need to write out a business plan. It is an excellent way to determine what you need for your business and how much money you need to make it a success. If you are trying to get funding, lenders will want to see that you have thought out your restaurant concept and have figured out how much money you can make. Creating a plan will also allow you to work out what items and equipment you need to thrive.
Choose a Location
Choosing a location is essential to running a successful ghost kitchen. There are several options. You can run your restaurant in an existing kitchen, which can cut down on costs. However, it can overwhelm the kitchen staff if too many people are around. If you have the funds, you can buy kitchen space and convert it to your needs. However, this can be time-consuming and costlier than you want. Finally, you can rent kitchen space. This option is better for new restaurant owners because they can see if their concept is popular and scale up if needed.
Figure Out a Distribution Strategy
After determining what you want to sell, you need to determine how it will get to your customers. You can use pre-existing apps, like DoorDash and Grubhub, which may make your distribution easy and faster. You can also decide to deliver it yourself. It depends on your budget and how many people you have available.
Develop a Marketing Strategy
You need to figure out how to tell people about your new restaurant. Consider using social media, PPC ads, and traditional marketing to spread the word. Social media is probably the most popular option since your customers will have to order online anyway.
Infographic created by Clover, a Restaurant POS company
A ghost kitchen is an excellent option for those wanting to start a restaurant. You don’t have the hassle of a traditional restaurant. You can set up a kitchen and get the appropriate licenses, market your business, and start delivering food.
