A dark kitchen, also known as a ghost kitchen or virtual kitchen, is a professional kitchen facility designed exclusively for preparing food for delivery or takeout, rather than for dine-in customers. Dark kitchens operate without a traditional storefront or dining area, focusing solely on fulfilling online orders through various food delivery platforms. These establishments leverage the increasing demand for food delivery services by optimizing kitchen operations for efficiency and speed. Dark kitchens may host multiple virtual restaurant concepts or operate as hubs for existing restaurants looking to expand their delivery services without the overhead costs associated with maintaining a physical dining space. The term “dark” reflects the absence of a visible, customer-facing presence, highlighting the kitchen’s primary function of fulfilling remote orders for delivery or takeout.