Deliveroo motorbike riders in Norwich. Picture : ANTONY KELLY
- Credit: copyright ARCHANT 2017
Restaurants are turning to virtual kitchens to expand and adapt during Covid, leading to a raft of new takeaways diners may not know are run by familiar brands.
Sometimes called ghost or dark kitchens, they don t have a set space for eating in, often share a kitchen with another business and generally focus on online deliveries or collections.
There are 200 listed on delivery website Deliveroo in the east of England, and a spokesperson said since March 2020 the number nationwide has doubled, up to 7,000.
Supporters say they allow restaurants to try new menus and concepts with fewer risks and costs, grow their online presence and, during lockdowns, stay afloat.