CloudKitchens’ Setbacks
CloudKitchens, the $15 billion startup aiming to dominate food delivery through networks of shared kitchens, has shuttered some locations amid execution stumbles post-pandemic.
An employee said a handful of operational “ghost kitchen” sites have entered inactive “hibernation mode” lately, including in cities like Chicago.
After a global real estate buying spree under founder Travis Kalanick, some ambitious locations proved unprofitable and experienced high customer turnover.
Competitor Also Pulling Back
Well-funded competitors like Reef and Kitchen United have also pulled back on once-lofty ghost kitchen ambitions.
But Kalanick has previewed a robotic “Bowl Builder” for automated food prep under development, which could cut labor costs significantly.
Some see the quiet site closures as proof that most restaurateurs can’t make rental kitchens work.
Travis Kalanick’s Dream
Yet Kalanick’s vision has always been total disruption via robot-powered kitchens minus the overhead, much like his Uber-removed household car needs.
While the reset marks a bumpy road, Kalanick’s eyes still look ahead to a future where bots whip up meals in empty, dormant kitchens.
