Dark Kitchen

Feb- 2023 -

14 February

Popeyes UK to open in 7 new locations

Popeyes UK has confirmed that it is set to open seven new sites as it continues its rapid expansion in the region. The new openings will include two additional London sites as well as its first drive-thru. The new sites will be located in: Cambridge; Reading; Cardiff; Plymouth; Richmond; Rotherham…

Oct- 2022 -

5 October

Restaurants

Poke House expands outside London

Poke House has announced it is expanding outside of London for the first time, with a new site due to open in Cambridge in early 2023. Poke House said this will be the first of many sites outside of London to open, and the announcement follows the new opening in…

Aug- 2022 -

19 August

News

Tim Hortons continues UK expansion with first dark kitchen

Tim Hortons has announced the opening of its first dark kitchen in London to help “facilitate demand for its renowned offering in the capital”. The brand’s delivery-only kitchen, located in Kentish Town, will allow those within two square miles of the kitchen to access its products via platforms including UberEats,…

Nov- 2021 -

25 November

Comment

Food service innovations that will change the future

Food service is one of the hottest areas of digital innovation today. Over the past decade we’ve seen the rise of cashless payment, mobile booking, delivery apps and loyalty schemes. And the pace of food service innovation is only increasing, with the challenges of the pandemic bringing new ideas to…

Jan- 2021 -

18 January

Features

The idea behind: Plant Hustlers

They say when entering the world of business the only thing to expect is the unexpected. Aaron Bryans, the owner of Plant Hustlers, a vegan restaurant in Bournemouth knows this all too well. With just a year of trading under his belt before the pandemic hit the North London native…

Aug- 2020 -

25 August

Restaurants

Scott Hallsworth launches Joe’s Oriental Diner

Restaurateur Scott Hallsworth, owner of Freak Scene London and best known as the founder of Kurobuta, has launched both a local delivery service, Joe’s Oriental Diner, and Joe’s @ Home, a wider-reaching delivery service for South London and West London. Joe’s @ Home will operate as a premium delivery service,…

Jan- 2020 -

8 January

Comment

How will high street restaurants survive dark kitchen disruption?

Shops have already suffered the fate of losing their footfall to clicks on the internet and it seems restaurants are headed the same way. Amidst the plight of the high street for retail, I’ve always thought of restaurants as the real stalwart. Surely you can’t get rid of restaurants from…

Mar- 2019 -

25 March

Analysis

Deliveroo – making the move from platform to operator

Last May, Deliveroo Editions announced that it would start bringing its own brands of food to market – and now we see Deliveroo stepping this up. In London, for example, Deliveroo Editions has six of its own brands offering food available from Crouch End in north London. The brands represent…

Aug- 2018 -

9 August

Pubs and Bars

Meatliquor to open new Battersea restaurant

Meatliquor has announced it will be opening a new restaurant on Northcote Road in Battersea. Battersea residents have previously been able to order the chain’s food through a Deliveroo Editions ‘dark kitchen’ in the area. Meatliquor said it saw good sales on its well-known menu items such as the Dead…

Jul- 2018 -

19 July

Apps & Technology

Is Deliveroo moving customers from cover to couch?

Stolen food, high commission prices, overworked staff and ruining restaurants’ relationships with their customers – just a few claims made by restaurateurs who partner with door-to-door delivery apps such as Deliveroo. The massive growth of the British-born smartphone app, which allows customers to order meals from well-known high street restaurants…