Dark Kitchen

A dark kitchen is a delivery-only commercial kitchen that prepares food exclusively for online orders. Customers cannot visit the location to dine, as the facility is not open to the public.

The term "dark kitchen" is commonly used to describe kitchens that support food delivery platforms and virtual restaurant brands throughout major U.S. markets.

Key benefits include reduced operating costs, no front-of-house staffing requirements, faster delivery service, a scalable business model, and efficient kitchen utilization across multiple brands or dayparts.

For example, a food company in Los Angeles may operate a dark kitchen that prepares meals for several delivery-only brands serving customers across the city. Each brand appears separately on delivery apps while sharing the same BOH staff, equipment, and permits.

Dark kitchens are closely related to ghost kitchens, cloud kitchens, virtual restaurants, and delivery-only restaurant models. Operators should confirm signage, pickup, and health department rules for non-public facilities before signing a lease.