The first type of ghost kitchen worth looking into is a pop-up kitchen. Also known as incubator kitchens, these are the easiest to create if you have a sizable existing kitchen.

It's called a pop-up because you can set it up and tear it down to meet your unique needs.

Pop-up kitchens are temporary cooking and prep spaces. They most often exist in brick-and-mortar restaurants. For example, you can cordon off one area of your kitchen and turn it into a pop-up ghost kitchen. Use that area exclusively for your virtual restaurant's delivery orders, and you've employed the concept by using the space you already have.

The key here is to establish distinct workflows. You can have separate staff completing the dining room and delivery orders in one kitchen. But, they should have individual workflows so that each team can work independently without affecting one another's processes.

If you don't have a massive kitchen space, don't fret. Pop-up kitchens can also be standalone workspaces on another part of your property. For example, you can rent a food truck, set up a kitchen tent, or put up a kiosk. The pop-up kitchen is still on your property for easy access to your freezer and supplies. But the separation allows your teams to focus on delivery orders away from the central kitchen.

Pop-up ghost kitchens are fantastic for virtual restaurants. But they have other purposes, too.

You can use them to test new concepts, launch temporary brands, or do limited-time restaurants. Because pop-ups use your existing restaurant, you have tons of flexibility to use them how you want.

The second type of ghost kitchen is one of the most common. Commissary kitchens are rentable cooking and prep spaces located in a different building from your own. Usually, third-party companies own the kitchen and rent them out to multiple tenants.

Also known as shared kitchens, this concept benefits from economy of scale. As the name would imply, you're sharing the kitchen with multiple other tenants. Your team will work alongside other restaurant brands and kitchen staff.

Don't worry: You have a dedicated space to call your own. So, there's no need to worry about mix-ups and conflicts. The larger kitchen is a shared space, but your virtual kitchen will have everything you need to work efficiently.

The cool thing about commissary kitchens is the super manageable overhead costs. Because the kitchen's owner split the space, they're getting rent from multiple tenants. That keeps prices relatively low across the board, making this concept perfect for restaurants on a limited budget.

The savings continue beyond overhead. Many commissary kitchens have shared supply pantries, helping you save on raw ingredients!

So, what is the ideal shared ghost kitchen scenario? Ultimately, it's a worthy option for any restaurant owner looking to start a virtual brand without breaking the bank. Maybe you don't have extra room in your existing kitchen, so you need to go elsewhere to fulfill orders.

The low cost is attractive, and the convenience of having an off-premises location is second-to-none. Your existing cooks are free to keep doing their thing while your secondary kitchen staff focuses on the delivery orders.

It's also beneficial for its flexibility. While the exact parameters of your rental deal will depend on the owner, many commissary kitchens allow you to rent by the day. Some even let you rent out space hourly! As a result, you can optimize your schedule and have virtual restaurant hours that align with the busiest delivery times.

The final type of ghost kitchen you can set up is a commercial kitchen. This option is best for restaurant owners wanting to go all-out on their virtual restaurant business. It's fantastic for high-volume restaurants or owners with multiple brands.

So, what is it?

A commercial kitchen is rentable kitchen space. Like commissary kitchens, a third-party company or landlord owns it, and you pay to use it!

The difference between a commercial kitchen and a commissary kitchen is that you're renting the entire space. You don't have to worry about sharing a single thing. In most cases, that means you can load up the kitchen with the unique tools and supplies you need. There's no need to clear out for the next tenant or worry about strict scheduling.

Commercial kitchens come in a myriad of sizes. It can be a massive kitchen full of individual workstations. Alternatively, it can be a small space that's only big enough for one team. Whatever the case, the kitchen is all yours!

Generally, commercial kitchens are something you work up to over time. It's still cheaper to rent a commercial ghost kitchen than foot the bill for a new restaurant location. But the costs are definitely higher than a commissary kitchen.

To justify that added cost, you need to ensure that your order volume supports the virtual restaurant.