Doordash launches ghost kitchen service in San Jose
SAN JOSE - Doordash held a grand opening in San Jose for a first-of-its-kind restaurant concept for the delivery service in which they prepare the food from several different businesses in one, centralized kitchen.
"We switch stations when we work," says Doordash Kitchens employee Dipanjana Gupta describing how she was cross-trained to prepare everything salads and smoothies, hamburgers and dumplings and desserts.
"It's great that we got trained to make chicken and burgers and salads -- a variety of things," she said.
For the individual restaurants, it's a high-tech but low-risk way to expand their businesses into new markets without the inherent risk of opening a stand-alone store.
"I think it's efficient for the drivers. And I also think it's efficient for customers. You might have a family who wants to try different stuff. And they can come here and get a Melt burger and at the same time get Korean fried chicken," says Sean Reiter, Director of Brand Revenue for The Melt.
Doordash Kitchens offers dine-in and takeout options in addition to the traditional delivery service.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan says the business model's efficiency and innovation are a recipe for success.
"Innovation is what takes our economy to that next level of growth and opportunity for folks. You have to keep evolving and changing and trying new things," Mayor Mahan said.
Gupta says she hopes to open her own restaurant someday. But for now, she says Doordash is a wonderful test kitchen for his future endeavors.
"I am fairly new to the industry. And there are many more experienced people and I'm learning from them," she said.