Ghost kitchens? Halloween in February? Ghost kitchens are a new trend in professional food preparation that have been popping up across the United States lately. The cooking facility is set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals and boasts a unique non-store front policy. With the onset of the global pandemic, ghost kitchens have been expanding rapidly, hoping to give consumers something new to try in a socially distanced experience. Celebrities such as Mr. Beast, Mariah Carey, and Tyga have all hopped on this trend and now have their own ghost kitchens that they are promoting. 

A ghost kitchen works by renting space from a landlord at a facility like Kitchens United or Cloud Kitchens, and are usually located in densely populated areas. From there, the company gets their brand onto an app like UberEats or DoorDash and starts targeting customers. The corporation then sends out orders from the rented kitchen space (ROAMINGHUNGER). This means that the restaurants are mainly digital and can’t have customers seated or the option for direct consumer pick-up. This system is working out perfectly in these unprecedented times, where most restaurants are forced to have to-go orders only. 

On December 19th, 2020 the popular content creator Mr. Beast posted a Youtube video titled “I Opened A Restaurant That Pays You To Eat At It.” Mr. Beast is known for posting absurd challenge videos where he and his team give away money. In this specific video, Mr. Beast opened a ghost kitchen and gave the customers Apple products, cash, and even cars along with their fast food orders! This video currently has 41 million views! Now Mr. Beast Burger has over 300 locations in the U.S. and is running like a traditional fast food restaurant (making money and not giving it away). The restaurant features a variety of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and french fries. One student, Jake Winners (9), recently tried the franchise and said “I ordered a burger and it tasted pretty good!” 

Mr. Beast is not the only celebrity to open their own restaurant. Rapper Tyga launched a virtual chicken wing restaurant (Tyga Bites) at the start of the pandemic. This restaurant also operates just like Mr. Beast Burger: a ghost kitchen prepares the food, Tyga provides the supplies needed to prepare the food, and a third party delivery app delivers the food to the paying customers. 

Additionally, Mariah Carey also opened a virtual cookie store for the holiday season in 2020. Her ghost kitchen offered a variety of cookies that could be used as holiday gifts and seasonal treats. The cookies can currently be purchased in over 30 major U.S. cities.

As the trend of ghost kitchens continue to gain in popularity, it’s expected that more and more celebrities and entrepreneurs will open their own versions. So if staying home and eating the same old things has got you feeling down, try something new and have a one-of-a-kind meal delivered right to your door!