As counter-service brands grapple with rising rents and shrinking margins amid a crush of off-premises demand, some are ditching the dining room altogether and buying into the virtual kitchen model.

Ghost kitchens were originally conceived so restaurants can expand delivery-only operations. Pioneers like Kitchen United are now opening food hall-style spaces with seating. New ghost kitchen models ...

In fall 2021, Inspire Brands lifted the lid on a ghost concept unlike any other. The company’s “Alliance Kitchen” marked the first dark kitchen owned and operated by a multi-brand restaurant company.