>>> TIME NOW FOR A CONSUMER
CONFIDENTIAL.
IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER TO ORDER
TAKEOUT THAN THESE DAYS.
NO MATTER WHAT APP YOU USE, YOU
MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN
WHERE THAT FOOD IS COMING FROM.
IN FACT, IT MAY NOT BE FROM A
RESTAURANT AT ALL.
INVESTIGATIVE AND CONSUMER
CORRESPONDENT VICKY NGUYEN IS
HERE.
THIS IS A FASCINATING CONCEPT.
I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS
HAPPENING.
>> MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW.
THE FOOD IS STILL JUST AS GOOD.
YOU GET IT AND GET MORE CHOICES,
WHICH IS THE FUN PART.
THEY’RE CALLED GHOST KITCHENS.
DESPITE THE NAME, THERE IS
NOTHING SPOOKY ABOUT THEM.
THEY’RE A WAY TO OPEN SMALL
BUSINESSES, INTRODUCE NEW FOOD
CHOICES TO CONSUMERS, AND THEY
ARE COOKING UP SOME DELICIOUS
DISHES AT THE GHOST KITCHEN WE
VISITED IN NEW JERSEY.
>> Reporter: WHEN THE PANDEMIC
SHUT DOWN RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, 8 MILLION WORKERS LOST
THEIR JOBS OVERNIGHT.
THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT
ASSOCIATION REPORTS 110,000
RESTAURANTS CLOSED FOR GOOD.
THAT’S 17% OF THE NATION’S
EATERIES.
BUT A NEW LIFELINE, GHOST
KITCHENS.
THEY’RE A DELIVERY OR PICKUP
ONLY RESTAURANT THAT ACCEPTS
CALL-IN ONION LINE ORDLINE ORDER
NO SERVICE STAFF, JUST COOKS WHO
MAKE THE MEALS.
HOW DO THESE WORK?
I’M HERE WITH THE CO-FOUNDER.
HOW HAS THIS HELPED YOUR
BUSINESS?
>> IT’S BEEN BEAUTIFUL.
IT GIVES ME THE FLEXIBILITY TO
STILL MAKE IT HOME TO SEE MY
KIDS.
IT TAKE IT ISS THE PRESSURE OFF
RUNNING A PHYSICAL LOCATION OF
MY OWN RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: IF PEOPLE WANT TO
ORDER WING CHAMPS, THEY CAN’T GO
TO A RESTAURANT TO DO IT.
WHAT DO THEY DO?
>> THEY ORDER OFF OUR SITE
ONLINE, OR THEY ORDER UBER EATS.
>> Reporter: HE USED TO SELL HIS
WINGS FROM A FOOD TRUCK, BUT
PERMIT FEES, LABOR, AND TRUCK
MAINTENANCE ADDED UP.
RENTING A GHOST KITCHEN MEANS
HAVING ALL THE TOOLS FOR
RESTAURANT QUALITY FOOD WITHOUT
THE EXTRA COST OF A TRADITIONAL
RESTAURANT.
WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS HIT --
YOUR BUSINESS PICKED UP DURING
THE PANDEMIC?
>> YES, SKYROCKETED, TO BE
HONEST.
>> Reporter: HOW IS THE FOOD?
WHICH ONE IS MY ORDER?
>> THIS IS YOUR ORDER RIGHT
HERE.
>> Reporter: CAN’T WAIT TO TRY
IT.
I’LL TAKE A STEP BACK SO I CAN
TRY IT AND TAKE OFF MY MASK.
LOOKS AMAZING.
SO GOOD.
WING CHAMPS IS ONE OF 12 GHOST
KITCHENS OPERATING OUT OF THE
GARDEN STATE KITCHEN IN NEW
JERSEY, OPEN 24/7.
THE CO-FOUNDER SAYS MANY ARE
STIRRING UP SUCCESS IN A SECOND
CAREER.
>> WE ARE SEEING MANY MORE
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED FROM
LOSING THEIR JOB IN THE
RESTAURANT BUSINESS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, HAVING THE
TIME, ENERGY, AND MOTIVATION TO
START A DREAM.
>> Reporter: THERE’S A COMMUNITY
ASPECT TO GHOST KITCHENS, TOO.
ONE SPACE LIKE THIS IN ORANGE,
NEW JERSEY, CAN HOST MULTIPLE
KITCHENS.
WHICH MEANS FOR YOU, THE DINER,
MULTIPLE FOOD CHOICES.
THAT STEAK LOOKS AMAZING.
HERE, WE HAVE A NEW LATIN FUSION
CONCEPT.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH
THIS KITCHEN ROUTE?
>> I WOULD SAY OVERHEAD IS
EXPENSIVE ON A BRICK AND MORTAR
RESTAURANT.
IT IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, A
BRAND-NEW WAY TO EFFECTIVELY
TAKE THOSE THAT DON’T HAVE
$500,000 TO START A RESTAURANT.
>> Reporter: SHE GRADUATED FROM
CULINARY SCHOOL BUT CHOSE
CONSULTING FOR HER CAREER.
SHE FED HER CRAVING FOR THE
KITCHEN BY CATERING MUSIC
FESTIVALS.
WITH THE COVID-19 CRISIS, SHE
LOST HER JOB AND THE MUSIC
STOPPED.
>> THIS IS A BRAND-NEW
EXPERIENCE ON ALL POINTS FOR US.
>> Reporter: SO FAR?
>> IT’S EXCITING.
>> Reporter: CAN’T WAIT TO TRY
IT.
>> YES.
HOPE YOU LIKE IT.
>> Reporter: I’LL GET ONE OF THE
SHRIMP.
SO GOOD.
THAT’S GOING TO BE A BIG HIT.
CONSUMERS WIN.
NOT ONLY ARE NEW MOMS AND POPS
OPENING UP, BUT ESTABLISHED
CHAINS LIKE CHIPOTLE AND FAMOUS
DAVES AND WOW CAN OPEN AND SERVE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> IT MEANS THE CONSUMERS HAVE
MORE OPTIONS THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> Reporter: PRE-PANDEMIC, 5% OF
RESTAURANT ORDERS WERE DIGITAL.
NOW, THAT’S INCREASED TO 20%.
ARE GHOST KITCHENS HELPING TO
SAVE THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY?
>> IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, YES.
OVER THE LONGER TERM, THEY WILL
BE A MAINSTAY.
>> Reporter: WE’LL NEVER SAY
GOOD-BYE TO DINING OUT, BUT
TECHNOLOGY, THE PANDEMIC, AND
DEMAND FOR GOOD FOOD COOKED UP A
KITCHEN CONCEPT HERE TO STAY.
>> CONSIDER THIS, ONE IN TEN
WORKING PEOPLE IN AMERICA WORK
FOR A RESTAURANT IN THE FOOD
INDUSTRY.
IT IS VITAL TO OUR ECONOMY.
2.5 MILLION RESTAURANT WORKERS
ARE STILL PUNEMPLOYED, BUT THE
GHOST KITCHENS ARE BRINGING A
SMALL NUMBER OF WORKERS BACK.
MANY BUSINESSES HAVE FOUND
SUCCESS STARTING OUT THIS WAY.
IT IS A FANTASTIC CONCEPT.
GREAT FOR START-UP BUSINESSES.
IF YOU’RE WONDERING ABOUT
SAFETY, GHOST KITCHENS ARE
INSPECTED JUST LIKE RESTAURANTS
ARE.
LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT
INSPECTORS GO IN TO MAKE SURE
THE FOOD IS SAFE AND EVERYTHING
IS UP TO CODE.
>> I THINK IT IS A FANTASTIC
IDEA.
YOU THINK OF PEOPLE YOU GREW UP
WITH WHO WERE GREAT COOKS.
THEY DIDN’T HAVE A RESTAURANT OR
WHAT HAVE YOU, OR THE MONEY TO
HAVE THAT.
IF YOU COULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE
THIS, THE FOOD SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF.
>> EXACTLY.
>> IT’S GREAT.
>> IT’S A WAY TO BUILD A
FOLLOWING, AND PEOPLE DON’T NEED
TO KNOW YOU’RE A BRICK AND
MORTAR RESTAURANT.
ORDER THE FOOD, GET IT AND LIKE