Ghost kitchens might seem like a weird fad, but delivery-only restaurant concepts have been a lifeline for many in the restaurant industry after the pandemic laid off nearly six million workers. Many restaurants have experienced huge revenue boosts by either adding a ghost kitchen to their operations or transitioning entirely to delivery-only. For these reasons, ghost kitchens are probably not going away any time soon.
Two companies in the virtual dining space are also capitalizing on the increase in virtual kitchens nationwide. Virturant and New York-based Lunchbox announced Tuesday the two companies are teaming up to create an all-new Ghost Eats App, predicted to be the world’s largest virtual restaurant and ghost kitchen marketplace after its launch in Q2 of 2022.
The new app will feature all of Virturant’s virtual restaurant brands — The French Toastery, Pancake Heaven and Hell’s Chicken, to name a few — as well as exclusive menu options from celebrity and other popular virtual food brands nationwide.
Virturant expects the new Ghost Eats app will increase brand offerings for customers and restaurant owners alike. Considering Virturant’s brands produce between $1,000 and $6,000 in sales per week, those increased offerings could mean a huge revenue boost for the two companies as well as their restaurant clients.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Lunchbox and their suite of world-class products built specifically for virtual restaurants and ghost kitchens,” Virturant CRO Robert Young said in a statement. “Our new Ghost Eats marketplace will give hungry diners access to a wider variety of cuisines and virtual brands to choose from in a single order.”
Lunchbox raised a $20 million Series A round in 2020 and is also currently hiring an accounting intern and technical product manager in New York and with more positions open globally.
