Ghost kitchens—also known as virtual restaurants—have exploded in popularity over the last few years. No storefront. No waiters. Just delivery. 📦 But while the low overhead sounds like a dream, getting consistent orders is still a major challenge.
So how do you stand out on apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub—especially when you're one of hundreds of options?
Let’s break it down.
🍕 1. Optimize Your Menu for Delivery (Not Dine-In)
The first step to getting more orders? Serve food that travels well.
✅ Focus on:
- Foods that retain heat and structure (think burgers, rice bowls, wings)
- Minimal soggy ingredients
- Separated sauces/condiments
- Clear labeling and secure packaging
🚫 Avoid:
- Anything that melts, wilts, or collapses in 10 minutes
- Complex plating that loses impact on the road
💡 Pro Tip: Keep your menu tight and delivery-friendly. A smaller, optimized menu will outperform a bloated one.
📲 2. Be Strategic on Delivery Apps
Delivery platforms are your storefront. Treat them like SEO pages.
🔍 How to stand out:
- Use high-quality, mouthwatering images (professional if possible)
- Write clear, craveable item descriptions
- Offer popular bundles (like “Burger + Fries + Drink”)
- Regularly update with seasonal items or LTOs (limited-time offers)
🧠 According to Grubhub, restaurants with great photos and combos increase orders by up to 30%.
Also: take advantage of app promotions. Yes, they cut into margin—but they’re powerful visibility boosters.
📦 3. Nail the Packaging Experience
Your packaging is your presentation. Make it pop. 👀
🎯 Think:
- Branded stickers or QR codes
- Consistent, spill-proof containers
- Eco-friendly options (increasingly preferred by younger diners)
- Fun inserts like “Thanks for ordering!” notes or discounts for next time
Make customers remember the unboxing moment, not just the food.
🧠 4. Build a Memorable Brand Identity
Even without a physical space, your ghost kitchen can still have major personality.
🔑 Elements to define:
- A clear niche (Are you the spicy ramen place? The late-night munchies spot?)
- A bold name and logo
- A strong social media voice
- Consistent colors, vibes, and visuals
People don’t buy boring food brands—they buy memorable ones. Give your ghost kitchen a brand people want to order from again.
📣 5. Use Influencer Marketing to Drive Hype
One of the most effective ways to boost ghost kitchen orders? Food influencers.
Why it works:
- They showcase your dishes to a local audience
- They generate UGC (user-generated content) you can repost
- They create FOMO for their followers
🎥 Example: A foodie TikToker does a taste test of your spicy chicken sandwich → followers get curious → orders spike that weekend.
👩🍳 Restaurants using influencer content see a 33% increase in new orders.
Use a platform like Mustard to connect with trusted creators in your city.
📧 6. Capture Customer Info & Retarget
Most delivery apps don’t give you access to customer data—but you can still build your own list.
Ways to capture info:
- Include a QR code in packaging linking to a signup discount
- Offer loyalty perks for direct orders
- Encourage follows on Instagram or TikTok for surprise drops
Once you have emails or social followers, you can:
- Promote LTOs and specials
- Send birthday or holiday deals
- Drive people to order directly, saving you fees
📈 Every customer you “own” is one step closer to consistent repeat orders.
🗺️ 7. Get on Google Maps + Local Listings
Surprise: Even ghost kitchens can rank on Google.
💥 Do this:
- Create a Google Business Profile with clear hours and links
- Add keywords like “delivery only,” “virtual kitchen,” or “takeout near me”
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews
Reviews = social proof. The more you have, the more likely people are to trust you and hit “Order Now.”
🔁 8. Create Loyalists with Subscription Offers
Who said ghost kitchens can’t have regulars?
Try these:
- Weekly subscription meal boxes
- “Mystery menu” drop clubs
- Prepaid punch cards via email or app
✨ Example: “Subscribe and get 4 weekly comfort meals for $50.”
These offers help smooth out order volume and increase customer lifetime value (LTV).
📸 9. Post Regularly on TikTok & Instagram Reels
Social media content is the growth lever for delivery-only brands.
Ideas:
- BTS clips of your kitchen
- Sauce drizzles in slow-mo
- Influencer duets
- Trending food challenges
- Funny audio + relatable food moments
You don’t need a massive following—you just need a few videos to pop. 🎯
🎥 Ghost kitchen TikToks that go viral have led to 10x order increases in 48 hours.
🔄 10. Run Targeted Ads (Without Wasting Budget)
Paid ads can give you a major lift—but only if you’re precise.
Focus on:
- Local delivery zones within 5–7 miles
- Demographics aligned with your menu (students, night owls, vegans, etc.)
- Time-sensitive promos (late-night only, “this weekend only,” etc.)
Use Instagram, Facebook, and Google for geo-targeted reach. TikTok ads also work well for food content with a Gen Z base.
🎯 Bonus: Get Featured on Roundups
Reach out to:
- Local food bloggers
- “Best of” Instagram accounts in your city
- TikTokers who do “hidden gem” content
- Digital city guides or newsletters (think The Infatuation, Eater, etc.)
If they cover your ghost kitchen—even once—you’ll likely see a spike in orders. Plus, you can reshare that content in your own marketing.
🚀 Launch Campaign Idea: “Secret Menu Week”
Here’s a campaign any ghost kitchen can try:
- Promote a secret item only available via QR code (linked through influencer bios or social stories)
- Collaborate with 2–3 local creators to reveal the secret item
- Add urgency: “Only this weekend!”
- Include a bonus (free dessert, discount, etc.)
✨ Results: More buzz, more orders, more shares.
👀 Real-World Ghost Kitchen Success Story
One Mustard user, a ghost kitchen specializing in comfort mac & cheese, launched a 3-day “Late Night Meltdown” special. They:
- Partnered with 5 local TikTokers
- Used food close-ups + funny skits
- Offered $5 off for direct orders
The results?
- 3x spike in Friday night orders
- 2,000 new Instagram followers
- Doubled their email list
All in one weekend. 🔥
Final Thoughts: Build to Be Craved 🧠💡
In a sea of virtual brands, success comes down to two things:
- Make food people crave
- Make people see your food
Ghost kitchens that win are relentless about visibility, consistency, and brand vibe. They turn each customer into a fan—and each fan into a promoter.
And if you need help finding the right influencers to kick it off?
👉 Mustard helps ghost kitchens grow, fast
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