The Troubles Continue for Travis Kalanick’s CloudKitchens | Eater

"Founded by Uber co‑founder Travis Kalanick and launched in 2016, this ghost‑kitchen operator expanded aggressively—buying dozens of properties and positioning itself as a pandemic‑era lifeline for restaurants—but has recently retrenched. Over the past year it has laid off staff, closed sites in New York and Tennessee, and cut back on real‑estate purchases, with some buildings reported to be only about half full. Operators have accused the company of deceptive business practices, filed complaints with the FTC, and complained about dirty or unsafe conditions, tech failures, and a lack of support; one analysis found that 41 of 71 restaurants present in May 2021 were gone a year later. Those operational problems, combined with slowing growth in delivery apps, have contributed to a broader pullback in the ghost‑kitchen model and raised questions about long‑term viability." - Bettina Makalintal