Your very own Chicago ghost kitchen awaits

We’ve revolutionized the restaurant industry to bring Chicago fresh food with a side of profitability. 

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Why open ghost kitchens in Chicago?

$32
Average basket size

The average basket size at our Chicago ghost kitchen locations is $32, meaning more online revenue for your restaurant business.

11.7K
Deliveries per week

Tap into more online delivery demand at our Chicago dark kitchen locations with an average of 11.7K deliveries per week.

40mins.
Average delivery time

Our Chicago ghost kitchens are built for efficiency, with the logistics and delivery support you need to deliver more orders faster.

9.5%
Pickup percentage

Leverage both pickup and delivery orders at our Chicago dark kitchen locations to maximize your daily order volumes.

Ghost kitchens versus traditional restaurants

Real estate

Brick & mortar

2000ft2

High cost, high traffic address

Ghost Kitchens

200ft2

Same area, low cost low traffic address

Staff required (~)

Brick & mortar

24

Many dedicated to front-of-house

Ghost Kitchens

4

We provide staff to handle all order handoffs and more

Weeks to launch 1 location

Brick & mortar

52w

10 locations 5-10 years

Ghost Kitchens

6w

Multiple locations 1 year

Upfront investment

Brick & mortar

$1M

High investment

Ghost Kitchens

$30k*

Low investment

Break even

Brick & mortar

5y

10% profit on 1M run rate

Ghost Kitchens

6m

10% profit on 1M run rate

* Varies based on local permitting and operational complexity

Kitchen Specs

All you need and more under the hood

We offer kitchens for modern-day chefs and help get you set up with specialized equipment and minimal fuss.

Space

  • Private kitchen
  • Driver pickup area
  • Staff locker area
  • Restrooms
  • Mop wash
  • Cold & freezer storage
  • Dry storage

Services

  • Order pickup & processing*
  • Courier handoff
  • Cleaning & maintenance
  • Safety & health inspections
  • Delivery logistics
  • Extraction & ventilation
  • On-site support staff
  • Delivery software
  • *Level of service dependent on facility


Equipment

  • 3 compartment sink
  • Prep sink
  • Hand sink
  • Commercial hood
  • Tablet
  • Grease-trap/interceptor

Utilities

  • Gas points
  • Power outlets
  • High power lighting
  • Cold & hot water lines
  • Gas/fire safety system
  • WiFi
  • Trash / recycle
  • Ethernet connections
  • Grease/trap cleaning
  • Hood/flue cleaning
  • Pest control


Are ghost kitchens worth the investment?

The rise of ghost kitchens

The golden age of food delivery has arrived. And with that, comes 54M delivery app users and a market estimated to reach a net worth of $1.65T by 2027. Ghost kitchens are providing restaurateurs with a lower-risk alternative to a traditional brick and mortar by cutting labor costs and the overall upfront investment to get started.

With dedicated kitchen space built for delivery, these lower cost, tech-enabled locations set you and your restaurant up for delivery success, making it easy to get up and running in less time.

With over 8,000 ghost kitchen locations in the US alone, chances are there is a ghost kitchen in your neighborhood. At CloudKitchens, we find the best possible ghost kitchen location that captures the most delivery demand, at the lowest cost.

As more hungry customers turn to delivery for their next meal, it is becoming even more vital to have a delivery strategy in place for your restaurant business.

Unlock new trends emerging in food delivery, new AI tech to take advantage of, and how to tap into this booming industry with our latest trend guide.

Unlock the inside scoop on the rise of ghost kitchens.

Ghost kitchen facility

5 ghost kitchen facilities

Our Chicago ghost kitchen facilities span across the city in areas with high concentrations of delivery demand, providing you with exclusive access to more online customers.

Ghost kitchen

163 total ghost kitchens

Our Chicago dark kitchen locations are equipped with a variety of kitchen layouts to best fit your restaurant needs.

Ghost kitchen cooking space

~200 sq ft cooking spaces

Choose from a variety of kitchen spaces or open up multiple kitchens to test out new concepts.

Delivery

Delivery and pickup in high traffic areas

With prime locations that reach the entire downtown Chicago area, you're able to easily drive more pickup and delivery business to your restaurant.


The Chicago food scene

Spaghetti - ghost kitchen

Launch your restaurant into the future with the untapped and unlimited potential of a ghost kitchen. Chicago restaurants can maximize their profits and prioritize their growth with the help of CloudKitchens. We're serving up a wide range of benefits not just on virtual dining concepts but also in and trimming away the traditional risks associated with opening a new location.

Fully realize your restaurant dream in weeks. With CloudKitchens, your virtual restaurant and operations can be up and running in weeks. Compare that to traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants that can take up to 52 weeks to get off the ground. We cut away the red tape so you can get back to cooking great food and managing delivery orders.

Target the city’s hungriest residents with a ghost kitchen in Chicago’s hottest areas. Delivery is the name of the game, and the hungry customers nearby have an appetite for something new. You'll catapult your growth opportunities when you tap into a food delivery service through a ghost kitchen.

The standard risks and capital requirements of opening a new location have been replaced by the Chicago virtual kitchen model. Cut overhead costs without the headache of cleaning, maintenance, or front-of-house of labor - it's all included when you partner with us for your ghost kitchen in Chicago.

Each Chicago ghost kitchen comes with our proprietary technology ready to work for you. Access built-in tech from tablets to all-inclusive apps that instantly streamline your operations. We help you integrate with food delivery app couriers and track your orders so you, as the restaurant owner, can focus on the food.

Stop stressing about expensive and demanding growth opportunities of a traditional restaurant. CloudKitchens makes reimagining your restaurant business and commercial kitchen an effortless endeavor. Just around the block, there’s already a commercial kitchen. Your Chicago restaurant business can partner with CloudKitchens and be up and running in the blink of an eye.

CloudKitchens Chicago

Explore CloudKitchens Chicago

Get cooking in some of the hottest delivery neighborhoods in Chicago

Introducing CloudKitchens Chicago

FAQ

Questions? 
We’re here to help

What is a ghost kitchen?

Ghost kitchens, also known as dark kitchens or virtual kitchens, are commercial kitchens built for food delivery. They’re located within the delivery radius of a high volume of online customers, rather than high foot traffic areas. With ghost kitchens, there’s no physical storefront or dining area, so you only need a few back-of-house staff members to fulfill online orders.


How does a ghost kitchen work?

In a ghost kitchen, your restaurant is focused on delivery rather than dine-in. When eaters order your food online, you’ll prepare it from your ghost kitchen, and hand it off to a fulfillment team to get the order over to the right delivery driver. This gives restaurateurs a low cost, high efficiency model to get the most out of delivery.


Are ghost kitchens profitable?

Yes, ghost kitchens can be profitable. Ghost kitchens allow restaurateurs to increase profitability by maintaining the essential elements of a restaurant while cutting costs on labor, overhead, and wasted food while reaching a higher volume of customers ordering online. Plus, you can run multiple virtual brands out of a single ghost kitchen to increase revenue without the extra overhead.


Why are ghost kitchens so popular?

Ghost kitchens are rising in popularity because they’re a lower cost alternative to operating a traditional restaurant. They’re also focused on delivery, which has grown 300% faster than dine-in since 2014. That means restaurateurs are using ghost kitchens to future-proof their business and accelerate growth.


How does a ghost kitchen help your restaurant grow?

Ghost kitchens help restaurateurs grow their business by doing delivery right. The way we dine has changed, and ghost kitchens allow restaurant operators to capture food delivery demand without sacrificing their bottom line. They’re also a great way to expand to new markets without spending time and money on a traditional restaurant buildout. You can easily expand your restaurant brand to different cities across the country such as Los Angeles or New York.


How much do ghost kitchens cost?

The cost of ghost kitchens varies by market, space, and services. Compared to a traditional restaurant, they’re a much lower cost alternative on both upfront capital and ongoing operating costs. You can get started in a ghost kitchen with as little as $30K, instead of $1M+ for brick and mortar buildout.


What are the requirements to set up a ghost kitchen in Chicago?

Like most Chicago commercial kitchens, fully operating ghost kitchens require real estate space, reliable utilities, and industry-grade equipment. It’s important to have these fundamentals in place for a Chicago virtual kitchen ready to expand. You’ll also need to abide by state-specific policies and pass health and safety criteria. 

Beyond the basics, your Chicago ghost kitchen also must be equipped to handle food delivery needs at all times of the year. Well-planned ghost kitchens in Chicago can reach new service locations and capitalize on the convenience of food delivery. To tap into these opportunities, you’ll need a support staff that understands local vendors and delivery logistics. When you start your delivery business in Chicago, we provide a knowledgeable team—ready to cook up your vision.


How much does it cost to start a ghost kitchen in Chicago?

With CloudKitchens, you can set up a ghost kitchen operation Chicagoans will love for as little as $30k upfront—a steal compared to a Chicago commercial kitchen or traditional restaurant that might require an investment of over $1 million.


Start cooking with us today

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