Ghost kitchens are evolving as restaurant challenges continue

Ghost kitchens popped up during the pandemic as a creative way to keep kitchens open when dining areas were closed. But as the demand for off-premise dining continues to hit record highs, the ghost kitchen concept is evolving. They began as a kind of a mystery, with many ghost kitchens opening in secret locations, allowing […]

Independent restaurants leaning on virtual brands

A new collaborative report between Grubhub and Technomic has found that four in 10 (41 per cent of) independent restaurants currently operate virtual brands to leverage persistent demand for delivery from consumers. Generally offering low capital costs and a world of opportunity, virtual brands are all the rage right now, from offering delivery-only channels to […]

North America’s first virtual IHOP opens in Toronto

Toronto is now home to North America’s first-ever virtual IHOP location. Dine Brands International has announced the location as part of its partnership with Ghost Kitchens Brands, which owns and operates a network of virtual kitchens across the continent, featuring items from more than 20 well-known restaurants and consumer brands. At 60 Sudbury St. in Toronto’s […]

TGI Fridays launching 300 ghost kitchens with Reef

TGI Fridays is partnering with Reef Technology to launch 300 delivery kitchens across North America and other international markets throughout the next five years. This marks Reef’s first partnership with a global casual dining concept, and TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette called Reef a “launching pad” to deliver Fridays’ menu while “prioritizing convenience and quality.” The first […]

Reef to open 500 ghost kitchens with 800 Degrees Pizza

Reef Technology, the largest ghost kitchen operator in the U.S., has announced a partnership with 800 Degrees Pizza to open 500 delivery-only locations in the U.S., Canada, and international markets over the next five years. The first of these locations began operating on Sept. 17 in Miami. The deal will mark 800 Degrees’ first expansion into Canada, […]

Wendy’s to open 700 ghost kitchens in Canada and beyond

Wendy’s is opening 700 delivery kitchens over the next five years in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, according to a press release. The expansion of the chain’s partnership with Reef Technology, which was originally a pilot of eight units in Canada, will see about 50 kitchens go live this year. The rest will […]

Ghost kitchens begin to arrive in Canadian big-box stores

The hot restaurant concept of ghost kitchens are spreading like wildfire. By Tom Nightingale It’s well-established by this stage that ghost kitchens are the new hot concept born out of — or at least accelerated by — the COVID-19 pandemic. The first ghost kitchen appeared in New York in 2013. It was already growing steadily […]