The use of the term "ghost kitchen" sounds like it's a kitchen that doesn't really exist and just shows up in the fog or something, doesn't it?

Not the true meaning of the phrase.  A ghost kitchen is when you can order food from a restaurant, but only have it delivered, no place to sit and eat, and usually no real location details - except for the food delivery service they contract with.

With all that said, a Chicago-based chain, Wow Bao, has set up ghost kitchens throughout West Michigan, according to WOODTV. Wow Bao is known for their fast Asian Street Food which according to their website includes bao, pan-seared potstickers, steamed dumplings, rice and noodle bowls, and more.

Wow Bao apparently teamed up locally with Fazoli restaurants located in Walker, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, and Muskegon. It was supposed to stay kind of secret who the eatery partnered up with, but WOODTV realized that the Google Map on the Wow Bao website points to Fazoli's locations in West Mi, which was then confirmed by an employee.

Nationally, they opened around 200 ghost kitchens around the country in a delivery-only initiative that helps get their food to more consumers but is also helping the restaurants they team up with. WOODTV says Wow Bao had this idea before the pandemic, but now it really helps struggling places add more services.

As reported on WOODTV,

Wow Bao food is fully cooked then frozen and shipped to the ghost kitchens, which steam, fry, and cook the dishes before packing them up for delivery.

Restaurants who partner with the Wow Bao ghost kitchen concept keep about 40% of the profits which is a huge help to a lot of these places still struggling to survive.

WOODTV reports the ghost kitchens in West Michigan to have a paired down menu including the steamed dumplings, rice bowls, and potstickers, which are then delivered by GrubHub, UberEats, DoorDash, and Postmates.

 

Here are 50 of your favorite retail chains that no longer exist.

More From Mix 95.7