Redefine your Austin restaurant game with a ghost kitchen

Bring your restaurant to life in weeks with an Austin ghost kitchen.

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Why open ghost kitchens in Austin?

$29

Average basket size

The average basket size at our Austin ghost kitchen locations is $29, meaning more online revenue for your restaurant business.

4.4K

Deliveries per week

Tap into more online delivery demand at our Austin dark kitchen locations with an average of 4.4K deliveries per week.

37mins.

Average delivery time

Our Austin ghost kitchens are built for efficiency, with the logistics and delivery support you need to deliver more orders faster.

5

Delivery platforms available

Maximize your reach online with 5 delivery platforms to choose from.

HOW WE COMPARE

Ghost kitchens versus traditional restaurants

200
ft2

Real Estate

Pay only for the space you need, rather than for empty dining rooms and waiting areas.

~
4

Staff required

We provide all your support staff, and there’s no need for front-of-house labor, so you can work with a smaller team.

~
6

Weeks to launch

Our facilities are move-in ready and we can help you navigate the permitting process.

~
30
k

Investment

Avoid the $1 million+ startup cost on your own restaurant to start seeing profits faster.

~
6
months

Breakeven

With a ghost kitchen, you can break even in as little as 6 months with a 10% profit and $1M in annual sales.

* Varies based on local permitting and operational complexity

Kitchen specs

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


Are ghost kitchens worth the investment?

The rise of ghost kitchens

The golden age of food delivery has arrived. And with that, comes 54M delivery app users and a market estimated to reach a net worth of $1.65T by 2027. Ghost kitchens are providing restaurateurs with a lower-risk alternative to a traditional brick and mortar by cutting labor costs and the overall upfront investment to get started.

With dedicated kitchen space built for delivery, these lower cost, tech-enabled locations set you and your restaurant up for delivery success, making it easy to get up and running in less time.

With over 8,000 ghost kitchen locations in the US alone, chances are there is a ghost kitchen in your neighborhood. At CloudKitchens, we find the best possible ghost kitchen location that captures the most delivery demand, at the lowest cost.

As more hungry customers turn to delivery for their next meal, it is becoming even more vital to have a delivery strategy in place for your restaurant business.

Unlock new trends emerging in food delivery, new AI tech to take advantage of, and how to tap into this booming industry with our latest trend guide.

Unlock the inside scoop on the rise of ghost kitchens.

Ghost kitchen facility

1 ghost kitchen location

Our Austin facility is located in the heart of delivery demand, providing you with exclusive access to more online customers.

Ghost kitchen

41 total ghost kitchens

Our Austin facilities are equipped with a variety of kitchen layouts to best fit your restaurant needs.

Ghost kitchen cooking space

~200 sq ft cooking spaces

Choose from a variety of kitchen spaces or open up multiple kitchens to test out new concepts.

Delivery

Delivery and pickup in high traffic areas

With prime locations near high concentrations of delivery demand in Austin, you're able to easily drive more pickup and delivery business to your restaurant.


The Austin food scene

Commissary and ghost kitchen in Austin

The food business is shifting as consumers use food delivery apps more and more. Entrepreneurs are now creating virtual restaurants across the nation by utilizing the ghost kitchen concept (similar to a shared kitchen or commissary kitchen concept). As a food entrepreneur, ghost kitchens (aka dark kitchens) make it easy to chase your restaurant dreams. By using a ghost kitchen or virtual kitchen, restaurant owners running a small food business in the Austin area can reduce costs, improve profit margin, and focus on what really matters: the food.

Getting started with CloudKitchens is easy. Rather than spending time and money searching for the perfect brick-and-mortar location as a restaurant operator, you'll get access to a spacious kitchen designated for all food preparation in weeks. Food preparation and service with your new ghost kitchen facility is efficient and easy with all of the cooking equipment (refrigerator, grill, fryer, etc.) able to easily fit within your designated commissary kitchen space at one of our local facilities. With a virtual kitchen and kitchen equipment, Austin restaurant chain owners can skip the hunt for kitchen space, upfront costs, and start-up stress - and jump straight to making a profit by trying out their own ghost kitchen concept.

Plus, with an Austin ghost kitchen, you can jumpstart your restaurant career or virtual brand in a convenient, central location. Our ghost kitchens spaces in Austin are in some of the hottest neighborhoods in the restaurant industry. CloudKitchens helps expand your customer base and maximize visibility for your restaurant brand (or food truck brand) by placing you in prime delivery locations in the heart of delivery demand.

An Austin ghost kitchen operation will not only save you time in the restaurant industry but will also help you save money, too. Rather than paying sky-high overhead costs, restaurant owners can dial back on spend with an Austin ghost kitchen that requires limited staff and comes with built-in cleaning and maintenance. At CloudKitchens, you're able to get started with as few as 3 to 5 back-of-house staff members with the kitchen equipment and delivery support you need to grow your business.

The takeout and food delivery industry is booming right now (DoorDash, Postmates, Uber Eats, etc) which means it may be time to consider a new ghost kitchen partnership to speed up and increase food preparation. CloudKitchens sets food entrepreneurs up for success in this competitive market with an innovative virtual restaurant space and ghost kitchen concept. Featuring built-in tablets and all the popular delivery app options from ghost kitchens, you'll have no trouble reaching a new customer base and additional markets when you partner with us.

We want to empower every chef and food entrepreneur with the innovative restaurant kitchen and the right set of “tools” to execute their vision, no matter what level of experience they may have. We look forward to helping you create and deliver your tasty menu offerings to the Austin neighborhoods and the connected communities. Finding an Austin, TX ghost kitchen operation has never been easier. With locations right around the corner, all you have to do is sign up to be a ghost kitchen operator and start cooking!

FAQ

Questions? 
We’re here to help

What is a ghost kitchen?

Ghost kitchens, also known as dark kitchens or virtual kitchens, are commissary kitchens built for food delivery. They’re located within the delivery radius of a high volume of online customers, rather than high foot traffic areas. With ghost kitchens, there’s no physical storefront or dining area, so you only need a few back-of-house staff members to fulfill online orders.


How does a ghost kitchen work?

In a ghost kitchen, your restaurant is focused on delivery rather than dine-in. When eaters order your food online, you’ll prepare it from your ghost kitchen, and hand it off to a fulfillment team to get the order over to the right delivery driver. This gives restaurateurs a low cost, high efficiency model to get the most out of delivery.


Are ghost kitchens profitable?

Yes, ghost kitchens can be profitable. Ghost kitchens allow restaurateurs to increase profitability by maintaining the essential elements of a restaurant while cutting costs on labor, overhead, and wasted food while reaching a higher volume of customers ordering online. Plus, you can run multiple virtual brands out of a single ghost kitchen to increase revenue without the extra overhead.


Why are ghost kitchens so popular?

Ghost kitchens are rising in popularity because they’re a lower cost alternative to operating a traditional restaurant. They’re also focused on delivery, which has grown 300% faster than dine-in since 2014. That means restaurateurs are using ghost kitchens to future-proof their business and accelerate growth.


How does a ghost kitchen help your restaurant grow?

Ghost kitchens help restaurateurs grow their business by doing delivery right. The way we dine has changed, and ghost kitchens allow restaurant operators to capture food delivery demand without sacrificing their bottom line. They’re also a great way to expand to new markets without spending time and money on a traditional restaurant buildout. You can easily expand your restaurant brand to different cities across the country such as Los Angeles or New York.


How much do ghost kitchens cost?

The cost of ghost kitchens varies by market, space, and services. Compared to a traditional restaurant, they’re a much lower cost alternative on both upfront capital and ongoing operating costs. You can get started in a ghost kitchen with as little as $30K, instead of $1M+ for brick and mortar buildout.


What do I need to set up my Austin ghost kitchen?

To set up a ghost kitchen Austin will love, you’ll need a healthy serving of passion and dedicated support (we can provide the latter). From there, it’s simple. To get started with CloudKitchens, you’ll need about a few core members of staff, and 4-6 weeks to devote to getting started with minimum fuss. After that, you bring the recipes and tasty menu offerings, we’ll handle the logistics.


Will I need to hire delivery drivers?

CloudKitchens will connect you to major food delivery platforms. We’ll provide you with a tablet and a single app that receives orders from these food delivery platforms, which send their own drivers your way.


Start cooking with us today

CloudKitchens locations

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