Ghost restaurant calculator

Thinking about developing a ghost kitchen business plan? Use this calculator to crunch the numbers and determine profitability.

By Nami Sumida, Julie Littman, Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 12, 2020

How to make ghost kitchens and virtual brands profitable

Jumping into a ghost kitchen may seem like a way to recoup lost dining room sales during the pandemic, but operators need to consider food costs, labor, marketing and brand equity to help ensure a payoff.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 12, 2020

Domino's continues same-store sales growth streak, but margins are tightening

Higher food costs and $11 million worth of pandemic-related expenses like enhanced sick pay and cleaning supplies negatively impacted the pizza chain's operating margins. 

By Julie Littman • Oct. 9, 2020

NYC restaurants caught in crossfire of contradictory COVID-19 guidelines

Over the course of this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced two different, overlapping plans to close restaurants in neighborhoods with high infection rates. Here's what's happening now.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 9, 2020

DoorDash for Work lets employers feed their remote workers

The aggregator's product is a solution for the new work-from-home economy, and could recapture some lost lunch business as commuters stay remote. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 8, 2020

Kroger brings ghost kitchens inside stores

The grocer is opening a delivery and pickup-only restaurant inside an Indiana location on Thursday and will open a second facility in Ohio next month.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 8, 2020

Ruby Tuesday emerges from bankruptcy

The chain plans to continue developing virtual, delivery-only brands to leverage its growing off-premise business and support its long-term growth strategy. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Feb. 25, 2021

McDonald's adds 3 baked goods to breakfast line up

The permanent additions, which will be part of its McCafé Bakery menu, will be available beginning Oct. 28 at participating restaurants and reflect the chain's pivot to refocus on the sluggish morning daypart.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 7, 2020

McDonald's shaves down drive-thru times by almost 30 seconds, study shows

The chain's speed of service is likely helped by its Dynamic Yield technology and streamlined menus, including the elimination of all-day breakfast. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 6, 2020

Mapping the rise of ghost kitchens

Are ghost kitchens really on their way to becoming a mainstream restaurant channel? And what risks come with the opportunity they promise? Restaurant Dive aims to answer these questions and more in a six-part article series. 

Oct. 5, 2020

How the pandemic accelerated the US ghost kitchen market '5 years in 3 months'

The COVID-19 crisis has restaurants "running to catch up" to delivery demand, but experts now see potential for permanent changes to business models as dark kitchens gain steam. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 5, 2020

NYC Mayor de Blasio to move forward with select restaurant shutdowns without state approval

Despite a lack of approval from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would halt indoor and outdoor dining in these areas starting Wednesday unless the state offers a different plan.  

By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Oct. 6, 2020

55% of small businesses worry about staying open amid capacity restrictions, study says

While Florida and Indiana have allowed restaurants to fully reopen, most municipalities are capping dining rooms, which concerns operators, according to a Verizon survey.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 2, 2020

P.F. Chang's extends temporary layoffs for up to 5,800 workers

The chain filed WARN notices to inform workers if their hours were cut by over 50% for 6 months or more. Restaurant Dive found notices in 20 states, and the majority of the filings noted up to 75 impacted employees per store. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Oct. 2, 2020

'The new better': Why restaurants can't go back to the way business was before the pandemic

Expectations of businesses have greatly evolved over the past six months, and if restaurants want to lure diners back, they need to prioritize both customer innovation and the employee experience, writes Ben Rogers of Qualtrics. 

By Ben Rogers • Oct. 1, 2020

Ruby Tuesday stopped paying retiree pensions, Business Insider reports

Despite trying new delivery tactics and hiring a CEO in 2018 to help with a turnaround strategy, the latest allegations only further highlight the chain's struggles to grow sales.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 30, 2020

Inspire Brands invests in POS integration platform ItsaCheckmate

The tech will help Arby's parent company streamline operations across its systems, the majority of which manually adds food orders from multiple channels to its POS platform.  

By Emma Liem Beckett • Sept. 30, 2020

McDonald's expands youth skills training program

The company's youth initiative efforts come as the restaurant chain aims to improve workplace culture.

By Sheryl Estrada • Sept. 29, 2020

NYC makes outdoor dining program permanent

The city's Open Restaurants program, which includes over 10,000 participating eateries, will provide guidelines on heaters and how to offer this channel during the coming colder months. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 28, 2020

Domino's promotes CTO, restructures tech unit as CIO retires

Kelly Garcia will replace EVP and CIO Kevin Vasconi, who is retiring Oct. 2, the company announced Monday.

By Roberto Torres • Sept. 23, 2020

DC launches $4M grant program to help restaurants winterize their outdoor dining spaces

Funds will be dispersed starting Oct. 1 and can be put toward expenses including tents, heaters, propane, furniture, advertising and operational costs.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Sept. 23, 2020

Resy, AmEx will bring a fine dining 'drive-thru' experience to Los Angeles

Diners can enter the Hollywood Palladium via car Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, where they will be assigned a designated waiter who will guide them from "restaurant" to "restaurant" to serve guests a 10-course meal through their car windows.

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 23, 2020

How chains are automating the curbside experience

Customers calling in for their food upon arrival have created logistical headaches for many chains new to curbside, and they are turning to geofencing and integrated alert systems to create a better experience.

By Julie Littman • Sept. 23, 2020

87% of New York City hospitality owners couldn't pay full August rent, report says

While there was a slight uptick in landlords renegotiating leases between June and August, 60% of landlords have not waived rent in relation to COVID-19, according to a NYC Hospitality Alliance survey. 

By Alicia Kelso • Sept. 22, 2020

Sizzler USA is the latest casual chain to declare bankruptcy

The family dining restaurant plans to complete the process within 120 days, which it says will not impact its franchisees. 

By Julie Littman • Sept. 22, 2020