How to open a Dark Kitchen and how much does it cost?

To open a Dark Kitchen, you need to ask yourself the right questions before getting started! The arrival of this concept in France has been helped by the emergence of new consumer trends. These include the development of street food and the culture of immediacy. In addition, the rise of online ordering and click & collect is confirmed every year. According to a study by the NPD Group, delivery is set to boom between 2019 and 2021, with an 85% increase.

We spoke to the RusHour team - an aggregator specializing in Dark Kitchens - about the main challenges faced by restaurateurs opening a Dark Kitchen.

What role do you see Dark Kitchens playing in the world of catering?

Dark Kitchens have a very important place in the restaurant world, on a par with so-called "traditional" restaurants. It's a different model that has gained considerable momentum, especially since the health crisis.

What are the steps involved in opening a Dark Kitchen?

Here are the 4 main steps identified by Rushour to open a Dark Kitchen:

1- Choose the Dark Kitchen model you want

There are many, which is why it's important to define your project carefully:

• Traditional Dark Kitchens: these are kitchens with a single gastronomic category, and no dining room.
• Multi-brand Dark Kitchens: these have a single kitchen and premises shared with several brands offering different types of cuisine.
• Hybrid Dark Kitchens: they offer take-away food that the public must collect, and they open the kitchens to the public to watch the cooks at work.

2- Understanding the existing market

In order to offer a quality concept, it's essential to carry out extensive research. Knowing the market, competitors and what's already being done is the key to building a viable project that will stand out from existing Dark Kitchens.

3- Choose your delivery method

The main focus of Phantom Kitchens is, of course, delivery. It's up to you to decide which delivery service is best suited to your project and the products you offer. Delivery platforms will be more or less interesting for you. Depending on whether you're offering dishes that follow a particular diet, and on the area you want to deliver to.

4- Choosing the right marketing and data analysis tools

The visibility and reputation of your Dark Kitchen are based almost exclusively on digital ratings. So it's important to equip yourself with the right tools. Your social networks and your presence on delivery platforms should be a priority. Make a pretty menu, beautiful photos of your dishes and a consistent Instagram feed that catches consumers' eye.

What are the best practices to adopt and the pitfalls to avoid when opening a Dark Kitchen?

1- Communication and marketing

Before opening a Dark Kitchen, it's absolutely essential to plan concrete marketing and communication actions. By this you mean not neglecting the digital channels that will be your best allies. What's the point? Because you don't have a storefront to promote your cuisine and advertise. Only social networks and delivery platforms will act as shop windows. If they're done right, you're guaranteed success!

2- Use the right tools for quality service

To cook, you need a kitchen, that's obvious. It's the same with delivery: you need the right tools. That's why RusHour supports thousands of restaurateurs in France and Europe. The principle is simple: a single tablet and a single printer to centralize all your orders. You'll save time, be quicker and more efficient. You can also facilitate the work of your employees and delivery personnel by adopting the Écran Livreur. It enables your drivers to monitor the status of their orders in real time. So everyone's work is optimized.

Do you know an example of a successful Dark Kitchen? Can you tell us why?

Today, there are many high-performance Dark Kitchens. We could mention Foudie, StreetLab or Not So Dark. They've surfed the ghost kitchen wave by offering brands that are both different and complementary. The key is to offer a universe with a strong identity.

How much does it cost to open a Dark Kitchen?

It all depends on the project you want to build. In our opinion, here are all the costs you need to consider:

• Administrative and legal costs,
• The cost of equipping your Dark Kitchen,
• Personnel costs,
• Marketing and communication costs (all too often neglected).

What are the advantages for restaurateurs of working with a delivery order management tool like Rushour?

RusHour gives you the keys to making your Dark Kitchen successful in managing takeaway and delivery orders. All thanks to these numerous tools:

Remove your tablets

The RusHour tablet auto-accept and auto-print all your orders by grouping your deliverers. This increases your profitability by reducing errors and adding more platforms and brands.

Make the most of your valuable data

Leave nothing to chance by analyzing all your data online and in real time.

One-click menu editing

Import or create menus of your choice from RusHour. Edit your products, categories and options. Publish your changes with a single click. And manage your menus from a single location.

Reduce the pressure on your employees

The delivery screen allows you to display orders currently being prepared. This allows you to notify your delivery personnel when orders are ready. In this way, you can improve order processing and reduce waiting times.

24/7 support

Thanks to their team of experts, you'll be able to optimize your menus across platforms. You'll also be able to create customized virtual brands and adopt effective promotional strategies.

How do Rushour and Tabesto contribute to sustainable solutions for restaurateurs?

RusHour x Tabesto is the combo you need!

Centralize and manage all your orders from Tabesto order terminals.

Thanks to the integration of our two solutions, your restaurant will gain in performance for several reasons:

• If your on-site flow is substantial, seeing it on RusHour will help you better manage your order distribution.
• An order placed from a kiosk with a customer present on site should be handled differently from an order placed from a delivery kiosk. Seeing the Tabesto application on the RusHour tool gives you a global view on a single tool.
• You can also manage your statistics. In fact, your sales and the volume of kiosk orders appear in the RusHour tool.

Opening a dark kitchen with these two solutions will save you time, money and space.

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