Changes Are Coming for Ghost Kitchens on Uber Eats

The pandemic changed a lot of things about restaurants, with the rise of ghost kitchens being one of the most noticeable. That rise can take many forms, from Guy Fieri opening a host of delivery-only spots to what can look like an exponential increase in local restaurants when you open a food delivery app. It isn’t hard to see how some ghost kitchen concepts came together — and the appealing idea that they could benefit restaurants at a time when the industry was experiencing existential threats.

Now, one food delivery service is pushing back on one of the less-appealing aspects of ghost kitchens: the fact that it’s very easy to create multiple restaurants sharing the same address, with nearly identical menus. Citing a report from The Wall Street Journal, Insider has details on an update to Uber Eats’ policies regarding ghost kitchens.

According to the article, Uber Eats plans to cut about 13% of the ghost kitchens currently on the service because they’re not distinct enough from other restaurants sharing the same address. Uber Eats is also implementing new rules that require virtual restaurants to show they have menus that are at least 50% different from other companies that share the space.

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It’s an understandable move from Uber Eats, and it’ll be interesting to see if other food delivery companies follow suit. The goal seems to be about making ghost kitchens better and more distinctive, which will be good for diners and restaurants alike.