zara_sanchez•2mo agoMost Upvoted

PSA: I saw the 'ghost kitchen' in the old mall food court go under after the delivery app hype died.

They spent $15k on a fancy neon sign and a TikTok campaign, but when people stopped ordering overpriced fries from a place with no seating, the landlord told me they were 4 months behind on rent before they closed for good.

4 comments

4 Comments

max_cooper212mo ago

That ghost kitchen in the old mall was actually called "Crispy Crate." They were only behind three months on rent, not four, according to the property manager I know. The real issue was their food cost being way too high for what they were selling.

harperp242mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah and ghost kitchens already have thin margins, so high food costs plus back rent is a death spiral.

wilson.olivia1mo ago

Oh please, three months versus four doesn't matter when the check ain't clear. Once you're that far behind, the landlord's patience is gone. You gotta keep rent current no matter what, even if you're eating ramen yourself. Let food costs slide for a week before you miss a rent payment, because a locked door fixes zero problems. Seen it happen to a buddy's spot, and it's a brutal lesson.

davis.olivia2mo ago

Actually heard it was the other way around from a guy who worked the counter. The food cost was a problem, but the rent being so far behind is what finally shut the power off. They were trying to renegotiate the lease right up until the locks got changed.