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Yeah it did, and restaurants actually put up stickers for it on their doors! What you're describing is what Travis Kalanick bought and have been building in LA
by alaskamiller 7y ago
Yeah it did, and restaurants actually put up stickers for it on their doors!
What you're describing is what Travis Kalanick bought and have been building in LA and San Jose since last year. There are other commissary kitchens that's now doubling as virtual kitchens with half a dozen brands sharing utility, equipment and even staff.
I'll do you even one better, here's the real future in less than three years:
Restaurants will shed front of house as most low end full service will be liability, instead restaurants will consolidate, rely on DSPs (especially GrubHub because unlike the other two chooses to break apart their commission structure), and merge with digital agencies in order to brand, market, create content, and manage communities.
- solidasparagus 7y agoI'm doubtful. No service, low-cost restaurant setups are not a new thing (quick service/counter-based) and full-service restaurants are still everywhere. I don't know if that's because profit isn't overwhelmingly the most important driver when running a restaurant or because restaurants make most profit off of aspects that don't translate to counter-service/delivery, such as drinks. But I would expect these type of virtual restaurants to complement existing restaurants, not meaningfully replace them.
- C1sc0cat 7y agoYes where I live in the UK this has been a thing for years one of the oldest Indian's in my town has had a delivery only kitchen for over a decade.
- jacques_chester 7y agoGenerally, when we in the tech industry turn our gaze to something we know nothing about, we assume that the first thought we have about it is revolutionary. Which is actually a good way to raise money, because most VCs don't know much about other industries either.
- HeyLaughingBoy 7y agoThis first sentence is so on point and frustratingly correct, I don't know what to do other than upvote it :-(
- r_singh 7y ago100% agreed. I look at these cloud kitchens / no front facing kitchens to only be an efficient, cheap, clean food option like for office lunch, etc. I would much prefer a fine dine / full service front facing restaurant for celebrations and special occasions (even if I'm just ordering in). However, I can imagine a subset of full service restaurants to be affected because of losing users that are on the fringes.
- lotsofpulp 7y agoThat misses a major purpose people go to sit down restaurants is for the atmosphere. Whether it be for casual dining, or celebration, or a date, or business meeting. The point is not the food, it’s to facilitate a social interaction under the common setting of needing to eat. You’ve always been able to get good food without a front of house.
- masklinn 7y ago> That misses a major purpose people go to sit down restaurants is for the atmosphere. Also the contextual break (from your desk or your home), or as a "neutral ground" (for dates or less formal meetings).
- krapht 7y agoHave you? Until fast-casual restaurants became popular in the 2000s there wasn't much for "good food without a front of house". I remember when most grocery stores were mostly groceries and not very much pre-made meals.
- lotsofpulp 7y agoI meant restaurants without waiters and whatnot.
- amyjess 7y agoAutomats were a thing until the 1970s or so. And you also had delivery services before the Internet. Delivery services would hand a book full of menus along with a page containing their phone number. You call the number, order off the menus, food gets to your door, and you pay. Works just like ordering a pizza used to.
- amyjess 7y agoHonestly, if we're bringing back no-FOH restaurants, can we get automats again? I've heard stories about them from my parents and seen a re-creation of one in Agent Carter, but I'd really like to actually get to experience one.
- alaskamiller 7y agohttps://www.eatsa.com/ https://www.eatsa.com/