Chicago announces 15% delivery cap on heels of $10M restaurant grant program

The limit took effect Monday, and delivery platforms that violate the new standard will be fined between $1,000 and $2,000 per offense.

By Alicia Kelso • Updated Nov. 24, 2020

Will ghost kitchens define the restaurant industry's future?

While investor interest booms and sales have the potential to outpace traditional models, questions linger about how much this emerging market could disrupt business in the long term. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Nov. 9, 2020

Uber Eats could reach profitability by next year, CEO says

As Uber Eats diversifies its business with the addition of grocery and pharmacy delivery, gross bookings were up 135% and revenue grew 125%.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 6, 2020

Ghost kitchen provider Reef raises $700M

Reef will use the funding to grow from around 4,800 locations to 10,000, and CEO Ari Ojalvo said ghost kitchens "will be a significant part of non-parking revenue" for the company. 

By Emma Liem Beckett , Julie Littman • Nov. 4, 2020

California's Proposition 22 passes in major win for food delivery companies

Uber, DoorDash, Postmates and Instacart contributed $200 million to support the measure in the state, which preserves their business models of hiring drivers and independent contractors instead of employees. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Nov. 4, 2020

A DC ghost food hall gives a glimpse of a post-pandemic restaurant future

By the third weekend of dining room closures, restaurateur Aaron Gordon was pulling 100% of sales compared to 2019 through delivery and takeout alone. That spurred an idea, and in September Ghostline launched with six restaurants.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Nov. 2, 2020

Third-party delivery is vital now, but operators believe curbside changes will be most permanent

A study shows that nearly 40% of restaurants said they would not have been able to stay open during the pandemic without the likes of DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub.

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 29, 2020

Yum Brands sells Grubhub shares for $206M

The company remains optimistic that third-party delivery gives its brands growth potential, and offers delivery with multiple aggregators at 35,000 restaurants.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 29, 2020

Restaurants sue Grubhub over adding 150K non-partnered listings

Two plaintiffs are seeking class action status on behalf of the restaurants listed on the aggregator's platform without permission, and claim the practice results in lost orders and an inability to address customer concerns.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 29, 2020

DoorDash initiative brings closed restaurants back to life via delivery-only models

The aggregator has launched "Reopen for Delivery," a program that selects local merchants who closed during the COVID-19 crisis and helps re-establish them as delivery-only concepts. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 27, 2020

Seafood at takeout and delivery adds health, sustainability, and an innovative twist to your menu

With creativity, planning and a fresh mindset, chefs can offer delicious take-home seafood meals that add a memorable twist to the menu, profitability to the restaurant and keep customers ordering again.

Oct. 26, 2020

Chipotle could exceed $2.5B in digital sales in 2020

The fast casual chain's digital sales grew just over 200% to $776 million during the third quarter and made up nearly half of total sales. So far this year, digital sales are almost $2 billion.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 22, 2020

P.F. Chang's continues takeout-only expansion with NYC launch

CEO Damola Adamolekun said its three new To Go locations in the Big Apple is part of a larger strategy to reach a more urban population.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 19, 2020

Taco Bell adds DoorDash as a delivery partner

The new partnership, which will cover 75% of Taco Bell's U.S. locations, continues Yum's strategy to grow delivery after its exclusive partnership with Grubhub ended abruptly during the summer.

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 14, 2020

Ghost restaurant calculator

Thinking about developing a ghost kitchen business plan? Use this calculator to crunch the numbers and determine profitability.

By Nami Sumida, Julie Littman, Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 12, 2020

How to make ghost kitchens and virtual brands profitable

Jumping into a ghost kitchen may seem like a way to recoup lost dining room sales during the pandemic, but operators need to consider food costs, labor, marketing and brand equity to help ensure a payoff.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 12, 2020

Famous Dave's expands ghost kitchens through Johnny Carino's partnership

Working within another restaurant decreases rent, doesn't add much labor costs and makes operations more efficient, Famous Dave's CEO Jeff Crivello said.

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 12, 2020

DoorDash for Work lets employers feed their remote workers

The aggregator's product is a solution for the new work-from-home economy, and could recapture some lost lunch business as commuters stay remote. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 8, 2020

Uber Eats revamp looks to improve restaurant discoverability

New assets include Hidden Gem recommendations and family favorites, as well as the ability to order at multiple restaurants through a single order. 

By Julie Littman • Oct. 8, 2020

Kroger brings ghost kitchens inside stores

The grocer is opening a delivery and pickup-only restaurant inside an Indiana location on Thursday and will open a second facility in Ohio next month.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 8, 2020

Grubhub offers free subscription to Lyft Pink members

The partnership will give Lyft Pink members unlimited free delivery from nearly 200,000 restaurants and will better position both companies against rival Uber.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 6, 2020

Mapping the rise of ghost kitchens

Are ghost kitchens really on their way to becoming a mainstream restaurant channel? And what risks come with the opportunity they promise? Restaurant Dive aims to answer these questions and more in a six-part article series. 

Oct. 5, 2020

How the pandemic accelerated the US ghost kitchen market '5 years in 3 months'

The COVID-19 crisis has restaurants "running to catch up" to delivery demand, but experts now see potential for permanent changes to business models as dark kitchens gain steam. 

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 5, 2020

DoorDash accused of providing 'deceptive information' about non-partners on its platform

A restaurant claims the company falsely listed it as closed or out of delivery range to redirect orders, but DoorDash claims it never intentionally steered customers away from any restaurant.

By Alicia Kelso • Updated Sept. 28, 2020

How top QSRs are using product intelligence to drive growth

The top performers in QSR have overcome today's challenges and even grown by partnering with the right technology and strategy platforms.

Sept. 28, 2020