Maximising Revenue in a Ghost Kitchen
Often in ghost kitchens owners will take a cost reduction approach to maximise their profit margins. This usually neglects the other half of the equation: boosting revenue. In order to truly maximise profit and create a successful ghost kitchen, both sides need to be looked at with equal importance.
Location
The location of your commercial kitchen requires the most thought. A range of factors can affect which location is the best for your commercial kitchen. Carefully considering the population around your area is crucial. To optimise delivery output, a dense population is ideal, think units and small blocks of land. This increases the size of your market, and also most delivery drivers are drawn towards these areas, so driver assignments will be quicker too.
Different demographics also have different preferences. Some suburbs might have a high amount of vegetarians, while other suburbs might prefer meat. It is crucial for you to adjust your menu according to the demand. Market research before opening your kitchen is ideal, however you can keep it as simple as tweaking your menu as you go.
Different locations will also come with a range of competition. This is where you need to be careful. Should you compete head-on with the local competition, or is there a niche market that would be easier to target? There are a range of options and strategies you can use to break into a new market. It’s important to conduct some level of research on who you’re competing with, rather than going in blind.
Delivery Outsourcing
It is important to consider who you outsource your delivery to. Major brands like Uber Eats or Menulog have access to larger markets, however there will be more competition to be featured. Smaller companies will have less competition, however might come with a variety of growing pains that can make life difficult.
The pros and cons of each company need to be weighed up before a decision is made on who you outsource to. Smaller companies might be better to join later; you might find they have less delivery drivers, and often a smaller customer base. These can still be valuable, however; if you’re willing to become an early adopter it grants access to a market with far less competition.
Food Quality
The food at any restaurant needs to be good to keep customers coming back, but it is more important in a ghost kitchen. The food is the only interaction with the customer. With no waiters or employees to make customers feel good, it’s up to the product to do the talking. This is the best way to gain a massive advantage over your competition.
This is a classic case of having to spend money to make money. Don’t fall into the trap of cutting corners. A higher quality product will increase your revenue by more than you can cut your costs. This can even include the quality of the packaging. Consider if the packaging leaks, or if it affects the quality of the food. Better quality packaging and ingredients might cost more, but the return on investment is usually more than worth it.