Experts see potential in better service and new segments for ghost kitchens

Experts in digital marketing and brand development, kitchen design, site selection, menu development, access to capital and more held center stage, all in the context of rapidly evolving technology. Looking ahead, WOWorks is considering franchising to boost growth and distribution points; Ghost Kitchen Brands promises major disruption in the near future as it exploits opportunity in airports, hotels and other noncommercial venues like campuses and corporate dining; and ClusterTruck foresees future delivery of its supermarket partners’ product lines. While no one proposed a restaurant company surrogate, based on the extraordinary optimism for the sector and the speed with which technology related to it is evolving, there was a strong sense that the restaurant industry is transitioning from technology laggard to technology leader and that the next 18 months promise a joy ride that will truly leave the pandemic shutdown in the rearview mirror.