The cost-effective way to open Austin's next hit food spot
In recent years, Austin and its surrounding area have solidified its position as a foodie paradise. Now that commercial kitchens are readily available, it’s a wonderland for chefs and restaurateurs, too. CloudKitchens makes it easy to open a ghost kitchen, allowing you to start delivering to hungry customers in just weeks.
Why commercial kitchens in Austin?
When it comes to food, Austin, Texas has it all: BBQ, ramen, Tex-Mex, farm-to-table fine dining—you name it. The only thing that’s missing? Your new food concept.
Turn-key
solution
Open a commercial kitchen in as little as 6 weeks with less capital, and leverage our proven model for delivery.
A team to
support you
We handle the logistics and fulfillment to make sure your orders are delivered with more accuracy, in less time.
New customers at
your fingertips
Our commercial kitchens are located in densely populated areas with the highest volumes of delivery orders, so you can reach more customers online.
Manage orders on
one tablet
Streamline your virtual restaurant's online ordering and delivery platform orders from one single tablet. Our technology integrates all your delivery apps in one place, allowing you to focus on the food.
Build multiple food
concepts
Maximize your order volume by running multiple brands and cuisines out of a single commercial kitchen.
Lower costs, higher
profits
When your labor, real estate costs, overhead, and cost of goods go down, your profits go up.
Establishing a food business in Austin, whether it's a food truck or a brick-and-mortar restaurant, can be a potential headache. As a potential food business owner, you must find your own kitchen/restaurant space/commercial equipment, find someone to perform the equipment installation, schedule planned maintenance/repair for things like plumbing, and more. But before you start looking for a building to buy or lease in Austin TX, think about it: Do you need a full-on restaurant space? If you want to tap into the expanding food delivery market, the answer is a resounding “no.” Instead, what you need is a commercial kitchen in Austin.
With ample tools and tech to start slinging delicious meals (and none of the distractions or budgetary burdens), a CloudKitchen allows you to grow your food business without the growing pains. A shared kitchen space at our Austin commercial kitchen facility has become a popular choice for entrepreneurs and food producers looking to expand their delivery food business.
And while Texas may be the Lone Star State, you don’t have to go it alone. As a food entrepreneur in the competitive culinary landscape, our support staff is here to help you navigate licenses and red tape. Meanwhile, our on-site team can tackle the less-than-fun parts of running a food delivery business, like cleaning the kitchen and taking out the trash.
It’s those little—and not so little—things that make working with CloudKitchens a no-brainer.
Commercial kitchens versus traditional restaurants
Real estate
Brick & mortar
2000ft2
High cost, high traffic address
Ghost Kitchens
200ft2
Same area, low cost low traffic address
Staff required (~)
Brick & mortar
24
Many dedicated to front-of-house
Ghost Kitchens
4
We provide staff to handle all order handoffs and more
Weeks to launch 1 location
Brick & mortar
52w
10 locations 5-10 years
Ghost Kitchens
6w
Multiple locations 1 year
Upfront investment
Brick & mortar
$1M
High investment
Ghost Kitchens
$30k*
Low investment
Break even
Brick & mortar
5y
10% profit on 1M run rate
Ghost Kitchens
6m
10% profit on 1M run rate
All you need and more under the hood
We offer kitchens for modern-day chefs and help get you set up with specialized equipment and minimal fuss.
Space
- Private kitchen
- Driver pickup area
- Staff locker area
- Restrooms
- Mop wash
- Cold & freezer storage
- Dry storage
Services
- Order pickup & processing*
- Courier handoff
- Cleaning & maintenance
- Safety & health inspections
- Delivery logistics
- Extraction & ventilation
- On-site support staff
- Delivery software
*Level of service dependent on facility
Equipment
- 3 compartment sink
- Prep sink
- Hand sink
- Commercial hood
- Tablet
- Grease-trap/interceptor
Utilities
- Gas points
- Power outlets
- High power lighting
- Cold & hot water lines
- Gas/fire safety system
- WiFi
- Trash / recycle
- Ethernet connections
- Grease/trap cleaning
- Hood/flue cleaning
- Pest control
Austin commercial kitchens
Questions?We are here to help.
How much does it cost to start a food delivery business in Austin?
If you plan to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant and deliver food from there, you could be looking at more than $1 million to cover your lease, licenses, décor, staff wages, and a hundred other things.
How is a ghost kitchen different from a traditional restaurant?
Unlike a typical brick-and-mortar restaurant, a ghost kitchen has no waiting area, dining room, or bar. In fact, there’s no customer-facing section at all.
However, in terms of the kitchen space itself, there’s almost no difference. A commercial kitchen in Austin has the same essential equipment and utility hookups needed to run a fully operational kitchen. It's the ideal solution for food entrepreneurs, bakers, and culinary innovators in need of commercial kitchen equipment, without the hassle of a traditional restaurant space.
Are ghost kitchens popular in the Austin area?
Because ghost kitchens are “invisible” to the average diner, you wouldn’t know it by looking. But yes—ghost kitchens, as well as commissary kitchen spaces, are becoming increasingly popular in Austin (and across the country). Why?
Virtual kitchens are exploding in popularity because they offer commercial kitchen equipment and easy access to the online food delivery industry, which has continued to expand after the pandemic.
Are commercial kitchens profitable?
Thanks to their comparatively low overhead, commercial kitchens have the potential to turn an incredible profit both for north Austin and south Austin locations. A commercial kitchen space’s profitability depends on several factors, like the location, branding, and operating systems at play.
How does a commercial kitchen help your existing restaurant grow?
Operating a commercial kitchen concept and business model within a shared kitchen space allows restaurant owners to serve a wider clientele while minimizing overhead. Restaurant equipment is readily available within a shared kitchen. Commercial kitchens in Austin also give you the flexibility to try out new menus or even new restaurants, all within one commercial kitchen space.
How much do commercial kitchens cost?
The cost of opening and operating a commercial kitchen in Austin will vary. When you work with CloudKitchens, you can get your ghost kitchen up and running with an investment as low as $30k (compared to the average $1 million for a brick-and-mortar, traditional restaurant).
The cost of commercial equipment and services (equipment installation, equipment repair, planned maintenance, etc.) will vary based on the concept and cuisine type you are planning to launch in Austin. You must plan accordingly and factor in equipment and food preparation tools such as a convection oven, ice maker, deep fryer, stove, steam table, etc. The square footage of the commercial kitchen space will determine the overall cost as well.
Start cooking with us today
CloudKitchens locations