the third-party delivery experience will also become more diner-friendly. When restaurant operators are overwhelmed with various orders from different marketplaces and third-party providers, orders don’t get fulfilled quickly. Juggling tablets and interfaces doesn’t help operators turn tickets. Integration of disparate online ordering systems, including third-party, can help operators be more efficient in fulfilling orders at the restaurant, producing a quicker turnaround time and making it more likely that food will be delivered hot. Tech company Olo has created a tool that is becoming more and more essential: their online ordering mechanisms integrate all facets of ordering into the POS at a restaurant. Consolidating the vast array of ordering sources positions operators better for success.
The ghost kitchen trend: cloud and dark kitchens Cloud kitchens help restaurant chains and other multi-unit operators expand into new markets without Investing in full-scale restaurants. Jollibee partnered with Epic Kitchens to expand into the Chicago market and fulfill orders across much of the city without building a restaurant.
Likewise, Fat Brands used a cloud kitchen to expand its presence into the Dallas market. Two of its brands, Fatburger and Buffalo’s Express, entered the market as a result of a partnership with franchise partner Croft Ventures. Additional ghost kitchens will launch as a result of this development agreement. Some restaurant companies will grow through dark kitchens, which enable the use of commercial kitchens and underutilized restaurants to launch new brands. At existing restaurant establishments around the country, restaurant operators are launching new concepts that are delivery & pickup only but have no storefront. In Washington, DC, Astro Beer Hall is providing Philly-inspired cheesesteak sandwiches for takeout, from an underutilized restaurant space. Check out the Satellite Sandwiches experience on page 10 of this issue. Another multi-unit operator launched pop-up Itty Bitty Sandwich City, peddling tiny sandwiches and big cocktails out of Washington, DC’s The Imperial. Offerings include mini-sandwiches in 3, 6 and 12 portion sizes per box, such as Filet O-Fish-inspired cod (IPA battered); a crispy, onion-straw-topped sloppy joe; chili mapledrizzled fried chicken on herb waffles, and
The Steak and Egg Sub is a Satellite Sandwiches offering geared toward breakfast. Photo by Scott Suchman.
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