Opening a Ghost Kitchen? Know the Laws That Will Impact Your Business

The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way restaurants do business. Many areas across the country are in the midst of a “second lockdown,” as state and local governments are again restricting businesses with indoor dining to help curb COVID-19’s spread. The second lockdown, together with the first (occurring in areas throughout the country in the second quarter of 2020), has helped accelerate a new restaurant business model—the ghost kitchen.

Are you considering operating a ghost kitchen? Are you wondering what laws apply to this business model? Let’s examine the most important laws that impact your ghost kitchen business.

What Is a Ghost Kitchen?Ghost kitchens are professional food preparation and cooking facilities set up for the preparation of takeout or delivery-only meals. The name “ghost kitchen” is alternatively called a delivery-only restaurant, online-only restaurant, delivery kitchen, virtual kitchen, shadow kitchen, commissary kitchen, dark kitchen, ghost…