How Much Does It Cost to Start a Ghost Kitchen?

Starting a ghost kitchen costs $20,000 to $150,000. Using an existing ghost kitchen facility with shared equipment can reduce costs to $20,000-$40,000. Building out a dedicated ghost kitchen space in a commercial facility typically costs $50,000-$150,000. Many operators start in shared commissary kitchens for the lowest barrier to entry.

Ghost kitchens sell food exclusively through delivery apps. Revenue comes from order value minus platform commissions (15%-30%), food costs (30%-35%), and labor. A ghost kitchen doing 50 orders/day at $25 average ticket generates $37,500/month gross, with net margins of 5%-15% after all costs.

DoorDash charges restaurants 15%-30% commission per order depending on the plan. Uber Eats charges 15%-30% as well. Grubhub charges 15%-25%. These commissions must be factored into pricing — menu prices on delivery platforms typically need to be 20%-35% higher than dine-in prices to maintain profitability.

Yes — running 2-5 virtual brands from one kitchen is a common strategy that maximizes revenue per kitchen hour. One kitchen making burgers, wings, and salads can operate as three separate restaurant brands on delivery platforms. Each brand needs its own menu, photos, and reviews to succeed.

The best ghost kitchen concepts are: pizza, burgers, wings, Asian cuisine (noodles, bowls, sushi), Mexican food, and anything with broad appeal that travels well. Delicate dishes that degrade in quality during delivery (crispy foods, multi-component dishes) are more challenging. Focus on food that tastes great after 15-30 minutes in a bag.