‘Society Is Very Ready For This’: ‘Ghost Kitchens’ With No Physical Footprint Grow In Popularity Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

From a small kitchen near downtown Baltimore, workers prepare chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers and waffle fries for hungry customers of one of the city’s newest dining establishments. Fuku opened two weeks ago in the city, but diners won’t be able to stop by and grab a bite to eat in person with friends even when the COVID-19 pandemic ends. That’s because, unlike most restaurants, Fuku doesn’t have a traditional brick-and-mortar presence. Instead, it’s one of a growing number of ghost kitchens to spring up in recent years.