A restaurant delivery service guide to ghost kitchens might be overdue for the average RDS owner. Here’s why.
Last year, “ghost kitchen” was a buzzword for a brand-new concept. Today, they’re popping up everywhere. From massive fast-food chains to YouTube stars, everyone is finding a way to get involved. So, a restaurant delivery service (RDS) owner like you should also be thinking about it.
Why it’s time to consider partnering with ghost kitchens.
Depending on where and how your business operates, you may not have thought much about ghost kitchens. But the ghost kitchen landscape has changed enough that it’s time to start paying attention.
For starters, they’re spreading beyond major metropolitan areas. Most early ghost kitchens were in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. But more and more ghost kitchens are popping up all over the United States. There may not have been one in your area a year ago. But the odds are good that you’ll have a new ghost kitchen neighbor pretty soon.
Ghost franchises are increasing delivery volumes for restaurants.
Ghost kitchens aren’t the only ghosts in town. Franchises are on the rise, too. And these virtual food brands have no real brick-and-mortar presence of their own. Instead, they often hire existing restaurants to do the work. The ghost franchise hands over its menu and branding and takes a cut of the sales—the restaurant does the rest. But every meal prepared under the ghost franchise’s brand is only available through delivery.
Delivery volume can double overnight when a restaurant partners with a ghost franchise. This increase also happens when they partner with a massively popular brand, like Mr. Beast Burger or a celebrity chef. They’re probably going to need some help accommodating so much extra demand for delivery.
That’s where your RDS comes in. With you as an ally, restaurants can partner up with ghost franchises without worrying about delivery. And all that celebrity-driven demand means more business for your RDS.
The delivery experience is critical for ghost kitchens.
Ghost kitchens have exactly one shot at a meaningful face-to-face interaction with their customers: The delivery. There’s no host, waiter, ambient music, decor, or cooking smells to create a sensory experience. There’s no beautiful plating to inspire awe and luxury.
As a result, there’s a lot of pressure on the moment of delivery to make a good impression. This stress is real for ghost kitchens. They know they can’t afford to mess up the delivery experience. They may not get another chance to win a customer back if they do.
Your RDS can help ghost kitchens do better business—with less stress. If your customers can trust you to provide a superb delivery experience, they can stay focused on making great food.
Superb delivery is especially important given major food delivery platforms’ lackluster customer service reputations. Nearly all the big names have been slammed for shockingly lousy service in the media. And ghost kitchens cannot afford the risk of bad delivery.
But if you promise to outperform the big guys, you need to prove it. Gather glowing testimonials from both your restaurant customers and your delivery customers. This is key to getting ghost kitchens to take a chance on you. If you can demonstrate your strong history, they’re more likely to trust you with their customers.
Become the restaurant delivery service guide to ghost kitchen’s success.
An excellent track record isn’t the only thing your RDS has to offer a ghost kitchen. You have another asset crucial to their success: A loyal, local customer base.
Ghost kitchens can’t rely on a visit from a food critic or a curious passerby to grow their business. Digital brands with local service footprints can really benefit from partnering with established companies to penetrate the market.
When you approach ghost kitchens about a partnership, be prepared with hard numbers. Explain your marketing strategy and share some data about your loyal fans.
If you have a customer base that a ghost kitchen can lean on, they’ll see your RDS’s reputation and local influence as critical to their growth strategy.
As ghost kitchens and franchises become increasingly common, be strategic about how your RDS can capitalize on this trend. You have something valuable to offer to these unique businesses. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.