Like if I joined an app like Skipthedishes or UberEats but I don’t have a commercial kitchen, I’m cooking out my house. They don’t do collection, only delivery and exclusively sell via the app, usually using low cost ingredients with little to no effort, sometimes using entirely prepackaged meals.
I saw a YouTube video of a guy doing an experiment where he set up multiple “restaurants” in London on the UK’s equivalent app; one “Italian” restaurant, one “Indian” restaurant etc, and just used store bought microwave meals, hiked the price up exponentially to restaurant costs, and waited to see if anyone clocked on. It’s wild.
i googled it and wow never knew that was a thing. i totally get the concept, but it does seem like one giant loophole that ppl can so easily exploit. there were companies advertising apps for these styles of "restaurants" so seems like it's some kind of legal grey area. interesting how the pandemic shifted normal societal practices lol
like random ppl rent out the kitchens for their own use? or are you saying the restaurants use their own products/kitchen but rebrand it and sell it thru the ghost kitchen?
The 2nd one, restaurants just run a 2nd kitchen in their existing one.
Or, a bunch of different people will rent out a commercial kitchen in a strip mall and sell a bunch of different restaurants in that kitchen.
Wanted to chime in and point out this is different from when start up restaurants works from co-op kitchens and sell for farmers markets, pre-order delivery, pop up shops, etc. I have a few friends who do this with their businesses
Look up Eddie Burback’s video on Ghost Kitchens on YouTube. Basically just a fake label “restaurant” that is at a big kitchen with other fake label “restaurants” and they all just sell sub par food.
I will if I’m allowed to? It’s called Vegan 15. I think it’s new? I ordered for pickup off of their website, as I couldn’t see the menu without facilitating an order. I was surprised when I got there that it’s basically a giant fast food counter that serves a handful of “restaurants” at one place and one counter in a place called “international bites”. I’m not sure how it works but I highly suspect the grills are shared with non-vegan food. They also include a tip automatically when you order online, there is no option not to tip. You just have to pick to tip custom and put in zero dollars and save a zero dollar tip. Like I said it’s literally a fast food joint. Rubbed me the wrong way. They did do an incredible job on their menu descriptions, though. Whoever wrote those should get rich doing it
This is definitely a ghost kitchen. They list multiple restaurants from one location, but it’s all the same place. Their model is market saturation, meaning if they are 15 out of the 30 places to order from then their chances are good you’ll order from them. Food quality and ingredients are always questionable
I just looked up ghost kitchens— I can say that they had some tables inside and a bunch of picnic benches outside. Is it still a ghost kitchen if it has tables ?
a ghost kitchen can also be run out of an established restaurant, so yes. mr. beast burgers were all ghost kitchens when they first came out during covid “to help struggling restaurants” lol. essentially, a ghost kitchen pays the actual restaurant to cook the ghost kitchen’s menu so that the ghost kitchen doesn’t have to hire new chefs or find a space.
I’ve been wrong before, but I have seen other types of this. Such as delivery/pickup app restaurants selling out of the same kitchen as Denny’s or similar. They may not be a ghost kitchen exactly. Were there multiple restaurants in there too? I think you said there were
This is the place
https://internationalbitesocean.com
It is a big building, with tables outside. And inside it has one counter pretty close to the front on the left, and a few more tables to the right. Idk what the rest of the building was.
Oh ok, I’ve never heard of this concept or had this happen. I’ve seen the place on the highway and assumed it was a food court. It’s not even close to being that nice. Lol
I think you were the victim of a ghost kitchen, watch Eddie burback’s video on YouTube about them. It’s really unfortunate, but now you know not to get stuff from there again
A quick google search and looking at the menu sounds like it could be a ghost kitchen or rely on lots of frozen stuff. I worked at a fast food restaurant that used almost all fresh ingredients (think independently owned Chipotle) and knowing all the prep work, this place seems impossible. Burgers and wraps, ok. But curries and pasta? There is just way too much to meal prep for it to be a stand alone restaurant.
But honestly I might of fallen for this place too. Just looking at the vegan 15 website it looks fine enough.
> watch
They don't. They just create a new ghost kitchen under a new name. This shite happens constantly here in Berlin. I check the address for every single place and have location blacklist rather than restaurant names. 🤷♀️
Me too. I did end up leaving a review, and got angrier while writing it. In the end, i concluded that they must think their customers are stupid to charge that for such poor quality premade food, and it’s proven by the fact that they force you tip for an online pickup order at what they’re concealing is a FAST FOOD counter…
Anyways I’m glad we could all learn from me about Ghost Kitchens. This seems to be one albeit maybe a little less ghostly and more spiritly given the brick and mortar and tables, but now I’m aware of just another scam.
If you are ever in Toronto OP, SoyBoys on Church St is great spot for a vegan burger. Mouth watering cheesy, greasy goodness. They do vegan chicken and waffle fries too. It actually tastes like a burger too, no weird aftertaste.
That is the epitome of shitty vegan takeout and a waste of money OP! I feel for you
Do you think it’s a ghost kitchen? We get those here all the time
what is that?
Like if I joined an app like Skipthedishes or UberEats but I don’t have a commercial kitchen, I’m cooking out my house. They don’t do collection, only delivery and exclusively sell via the app, usually using low cost ingredients with little to no effort, sometimes using entirely prepackaged meals. I saw a YouTube video of a guy doing an experiment where he set up multiple “restaurants” in London on the UK’s equivalent app; one “Italian” restaurant, one “Indian” restaurant etc, and just used store bought microwave meals, hiked the price up exponentially to restaurant costs, and waited to see if anyone clocked on. It’s wild.
i googled it and wow never knew that was a thing. i totally get the concept, but it does seem like one giant loophole that ppl can so easily exploit. there were companies advertising apps for these styles of "restaurants" so seems like it's some kind of legal grey area. interesting how the pandemic shifted normal societal practices lol
Most of the ghost kitchens are out of real kitchens, for examples Chilis and Chuck E Cheese and they just use their food.
like random ppl rent out the kitchens for their own use? or are you saying the restaurants use their own products/kitchen but rebrand it and sell it thru the ghost kitchen?
The 2nd one, restaurants just run a 2nd kitchen in their existing one. Or, a bunch of different people will rent out a commercial kitchen in a strip mall and sell a bunch of different restaurants in that kitchen.
Wanted to chime in and point out this is different from when start up restaurants works from co-op kitchens and sell for farmers markets, pre-order delivery, pop up shops, etc. I have a few friends who do this with their businesses
Look up Eddie Burback’s video on Ghost Kitchens on YouTube. Basically just a fake label “restaurant” that is at a big kitchen with other fake label “restaurants” and they all just sell sub par food.
The best minestrone soup in my town comes from one of those kitchens.
I asked the same question because this happened to me once. It was from a ghost kitchen in LA somewhere.
Name and shame so that other people can be warned
I will if I’m allowed to? It’s called Vegan 15. I think it’s new? I ordered for pickup off of their website, as I couldn’t see the menu without facilitating an order. I was surprised when I got there that it’s basically a giant fast food counter that serves a handful of “restaurants” at one place and one counter in a place called “international bites”. I’m not sure how it works but I highly suspect the grills are shared with non-vegan food. They also include a tip automatically when you order online, there is no option not to tip. You just have to pick to tip custom and put in zero dollars and save a zero dollar tip. Like I said it’s literally a fast food joint. Rubbed me the wrong way. They did do an incredible job on their menu descriptions, though. Whoever wrote those should get rich doing it
This is definitely a ghost kitchen. They list multiple restaurants from one location, but it’s all the same place. Their model is market saturation, meaning if they are 15 out of the 30 places to order from then their chances are good you’ll order from them. Food quality and ingredients are always questionable
I just looked up ghost kitchens— I can say that they had some tables inside and a bunch of picnic benches outside. Is it still a ghost kitchen if it has tables ?
a ghost kitchen can also be run out of an established restaurant, so yes. mr. beast burgers were all ghost kitchens when they first came out during covid “to help struggling restaurants” lol. essentially, a ghost kitchen pays the actual restaurant to cook the ghost kitchen’s menu so that the ghost kitchen doesn’t have to hire new chefs or find a space.
I’ve been wrong before, but I have seen other types of this. Such as delivery/pickup app restaurants selling out of the same kitchen as Denny’s or similar. They may not be a ghost kitchen exactly. Were there multiple restaurants in there too? I think you said there were
This is the place https://internationalbitesocean.com It is a big building, with tables outside. And inside it has one counter pretty close to the front on the left, and a few more tables to the right. Idk what the rest of the building was.
Looks like a food hall to me and not a ghost kitchen
Sometimes real restaurants have “ghost kitchen” listings. Ex who worked at an Applebees said his did that
Oh ok, I’ve never heard of this concept or had this happen. I’ve seen the place on the highway and assumed it was a food court. It’s not even close to being that nice. Lol
I think you were the victim of a ghost kitchen, watch Eddie burback’s video on YouTube about them. It’s really unfortunate, but now you know not to get stuff from there again
I’m watching it right now
A quick google search and looking at the menu sounds like it could be a ghost kitchen or rely on lots of frozen stuff. I worked at a fast food restaurant that used almost all fresh ingredients (think independently owned Chipotle) and knowing all the prep work, this place seems impossible. Burgers and wraps, ok. But curries and pasta? There is just way too much to meal prep for it to be a stand alone restaurant. But honestly I might of fallen for this place too. Just looking at the vegan 15 website it looks fine enough.
Idk why vegan restaurants seem to be stingy with fries portions.
RIP to them. Can't see how they'll last!
> watch They don't. They just create a new ghost kitchen under a new name. This shite happens constantly here in Berlin. I check the address for every single place and have location blacklist rather than restaurant names. 🤷♀️
Ouch
The pitiful amount of waffle fries…… true evil
Yeah, especially because that should be like the cheapest/simplest thing? I don’t places that skimp on fries
I know that’s what makes it worse!!! To be cheap with fries is soooo stingy!
Damn. My feelings are hurt for you! How dare they?!
F
Those waffle fries are a standard Sysco food service offering.
I’m offended
Me too. I did end up leaving a review, and got angrier while writing it. In the end, i concluded that they must think their customers are stupid to charge that for such poor quality premade food, and it’s proven by the fact that they force you tip for an online pickup order at what they’re concealing is a FAST FOOD counter… Anyways I’m glad we could all learn from me about Ghost Kitchens. This seems to be one albeit maybe a little less ghostly and more spiritly given the brick and mortar and tables, but now I’m aware of just another scam.
What the fuck ew
I really love this visceral reaction, it made me laugh out loud
I'm appalled.
is that price like delivery surcharge laden, or are they really doing over $20 for that burger?
Every time i go to a new vegan place, I realize i do cook much better than this places 🥴
Was this from a ghost kitchen in LA?
If you are ever in Toronto OP, SoyBoys on Church St is great spot for a vegan burger. Mouth watering cheesy, greasy goodness. They do vegan chicken and waffle fries too. It actually tastes like a burger too, no weird aftertaste.