Burger King launches first ‘dark kitchen’ amid lockdown delivery boom

The fast food giant said it is trialling its first delivery-only site, which launched on Sunday in London.

Burger King said it is working in partnership with FoodStars, the delivery kitchen business backed by former Uber boss Travis Kalanick, to launch the expansion.

The new kitchen will have the potential to reach around 400,000 customers.

Rival restaurants brands including Wagamama and Rosa’s Thai Kitchen have also expanded delivery-only operations during the pandemic.

Burger King said customers will be able to order a range of products, such as the Whopper burger, from the location through Deliveroo, and Just Eat and Uber Eats soon after.

The chain has seen trading bolstered through delivery apps during the pandemic, with its restaurants closed to customers for large periods.

The new launch comes as the business prepares to welcome customers back into restaurants in the latest phase in the Government’s road map out of lockdown restrictions.

Alasdair Murdoch, chief executive of Burger King UK, said: “We know consumers have found food delivery services to be a real help during these challenging times, and that takeaways have offered some much-needed joy up and down the country.

“The opening of the first delivery-only Burger King kitchen marks an expansion of this valued service, which we believe will drive growth.”

The idea of dark kitchens is to help restaurants expand without having the high street costs.

Some businesses lease them as a way to test a local market.

Fried chicken chain Yard and Coop rented an industrial unit at Scott Hall Mills in Leeds and built up a popular following before launching its Merrion Street restaurant in the city centre.

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