Bargain basement: the case for virtual kitchens

With the casual-dining crisis still in full flow, operators are looking for alternatives to expensive high street sites. Enter dark kitchens and delivery-only concepts that allow brands to tap into an ever-hungry takeaway audience while enjoying reduced overheads. Emma Lake reports

Virtual restaurants have been offering additional income streams to operators for several years, but are they now a viable alternative, or even long-term challenge, to the high street?