ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Public Health is offering guidance on what to know about ghost kitchens and ordering food online.
During the pandemic, the DPH said ghost kitchens emerged and became more popular. But what are they exactly?
What are ghost kitchens?
A ghost kitchen is a virtual restaurant that's only available on food delivery apps like UberEats, GrubHub and Postmates. There's no physical dining room and these kitchens only offer food items that are marketed from another brand -- which is then sold through the third-party food delivery app. Your food can also be delivered by an employee of the restaurant or sometimes you can go pick up the food yourself.
Are ghost kitchens legal?
Yes, a true ghost kitchen is permitted and inspected by local health departments. However, the DPH said there's a caveat to ghost kitchens. There are also many illegal food operations that operate in a similar manner-- without health inspections.
"With the rise in popularity of social media platforms, many people use these places to advertise food prepared in their homes or other locations that are not permitted and inspected by the health department," the DPH said in a release.
What to do if you're unsure about a ghost kitchen
The DPH said if you're unsure about the restaurant that you're ordering from, you can search its health inspection records online-- to ensure it's a legitimate establishment.
Start by searching the name or address of the location to see the latest food inspection records.
If you can't find information there, the DPH said you can call your local health department and ask if the business has a food service permit. Click here for the list of health departments across Georgia.