Dark kitchens are revolutionizing the fast-food sector. And with good reason: by 2022, there were already over 1,500 dark kitchenslisted throughout France!
They allow restaurateurs to focus solely on preparing meals for delivery, without the constraints of a physical restaurant space. Let's find out more about the different types of dark kitchens and how they can boost your business.
1. The traditional dark kitchen
The traditional dark kitchen is the simplest model. It focuses exclusively on preparing orders for delivery. No dining room, no room service. Just a kitchen optimized to produce quality meals. This reduces costs, such as rent and staff, and lets you focus on what's important: food quality and efficiency.
This model is perfect for those who want to launch a catering business without big investments. You can test innovative menus and quickly adjust according to customer feedback.
👉 Further information: Opening a dark kitchen in 2024: the complete guide
2. The multi-brand dark kitchen
The multi-brand dark kitchen takes the concept a step further. One kitchen, many brands. This means you can offer burgers, sushi and vegetarian dishes under different names, all prepared in the same place. It's a great way to optimize your resources and attract a diverse customer base.
By offering several kitchens, you increase your chances of catering to the varied tastes of your guests and boosting your sales.
3. The dark kitchen to go
Here, in addition to delivery, customers can pick up their orders on site. This is an excellent solution for those who want to avoid delivery charges, and for restaurateurs who want to offer a fast, convenient option. In fact, according to Oracle, by 2022, 44% of consumers would be willing to spend more if click & collect were available in their favorite restaurant.
The dark kitchen takeaway model is perfect for urban areas where delivery can be complex and costly. People appreciate the speed and flexibility of the service.
To facilitate the implementation of this click & collect service, Innovorder's white-label solution is ideal. It's an intuitive, customizable online ordering platform, perfectly adapted to the needs of dark kitchens. With this solution, you can efficiently manage online orders, offer a seamless user experience and boost customer satisfaction.
To find out more about click & collect, download our white paper 👇
4. The dark kitchen belonging to an aggregator
Aggregators like Uber Eats, Deliveroo or Just Eat manage these dark kitchens. They provide the kitchen facilities and take care of delivery logistics. For you restaurateurs, this means lower up-front costs and greater visibility thanks to the aggregator's platform.
This model offers a fantastic opportunity to reach a vast customer base without having to manage the complexities of delivery.
5. The outsourced dark kitchen
Finally, in the outsourced dark kitchen model, you outsource all meal preparation to a specialist company. You define the recipes and standards, and the company takes care of the preparation. The advantage is that you can concentrate on your marketing and customer relations.
Subcontracting is ideal if you want to expand rapidly without investing in new kitchens. It ensures consistent quality and greater efficiency.
Summary of key concepts
- Traditional Dark Kitchen: Get started with minimal investment.
- Dark kitchen multibrand: diversify your offer under one roof.
- Dark kitchen to go: offer a flexible, convenient option for customers.
- Dark kitchen owned by an aggregator: benefit from the visibility and logistics of a major player.
- Outsourced dark kitchen: Focus on marketing and customer relations by outsourcing preparation.
Choose the model that suits you best and adapt to the needs of your guests to maximize your profitability and success.
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You want to open a dark kitchen and you would like to benefit from a personalized support?
Contact an Innovorder consultant who will answer all your questions!
