Fraser Valley restaurant chain harnesses app-power to launch ‘ghost restaurants’

A restaurant chain in the Fraser Valley has launched a chain of “ghost” restaurants.

Ryan Moreno with the Joseph Richard Group has opened seven restaurants, which only exist online.

Menu items are ordered online, cooked at one of Moreno’s 16 storefront restaurants, such as Oak and Thorne, and then delivered by Skip The Dishes.

“We saw the trend coming years ago,” says Moreno, who hopes to expand the concept across the province and possibly across the country.

BC Restaurant Association president Ian Tostenson supports the ghost restaurant idea.

“It’s a great idea,” he said.

“They’re using the capacity they have in their kitchens and creating a virtual brand.”