How Jose Garces' virtual restaurants stand out in the crowded ghost kitchen space - Restaurant Hospitality

Scott Campanella, COO of Garces Group, talks the challenges of expanding virtual concept Buena Onda taqueria nationally in a competitive market

Garces Group — the hospitality brainchild of Iron Chef Jose Garces — announced on Sept. 24 that their Philadelphia-based, fast-casual taqueria, Buena Onda, is expanding nationally through a network of both virtual and brick and mortar stores, starting with a second location – a ghost kitchen that just opened in Washington, D.C.

Moving forward, Garces Group will add more virtual locations in the Florida, New York and Massachusetts markets; and they’ll look to build brick and mortar stores in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Additionally, Garces Group is looking to expand their other virtual concepts, Livy’s (a plant-based brand named after Garces’ daughter) and Wow Wings (World of Wings) to new markets.

Related: Jose Garces launches two virtual brands, focusing on vegan burgers and Peruvian chicken, in Philadelphia

Taking on an expansion strategy that includes both virtual and brick and mortar concepts — sometimes under the same roof — makes sense for Garces Group, the company’s chief operating officer Scott Campanella told Restaurant Hospitality.

“What we found was that every time that we opened Buena Onda for indoor dining [in addition to delivery and takeout during the pandemic] that there was incremental improvement without cannibalization and so we found ourselves virtually double doubling the revenue,” Campanella said. “We...



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