One delivery customer placed a DoorDash order from a restaurant called “Tender Shack.” But when they received their meal, it was in some peculiar packaging.
TikTok user Nic (@nicccetta) published a viral video documenting her surprise at the origin of her meal.
She says that she thought she was ordering from a place called Tender Shack. However, when her delivery driver arrived with her meal, it was in an Outback Steakhouse bag. Her clip chronicling the experience has earned over 823,000 views.
“I think I got put into one of those ghost restaurants,” she says at the onset of the video.
The clip begins with her showing off a paper bag from the popular chain, Outback Steakhouse. However, Nic believed she was ordering from a different establishment entirely.
“Because we ordered from this place on DoorDash called Tender Shack but it came in an Outback bag,” she says.
@nicccetta #ghostkitchen #doordash ♬ original sound – nicccetta
She removes the receipt to prominently display the Outback Steakhouse logo. A slogan is emblazoned on the bag. It reads: “STEAK ME HOME TONIGHT.”
Is Outback Steakhouse running ghost kitchens?
Several folks who responded to Nic’s video stated that they, too, have had experiences with these food entities.
One individual seemed all too familiar with alternate Outback moniker. “Yep, tender shack is a ghost kitchen for outback,” they penned.
Another individual shared their own method for sussing out whether or not a place is a ghost kitchen. A simple Google image search of the location’s address instantly informs them of where their food is actually coming from. “If I don’t recognize the name, I look at the restaurant address and google map it,” they suggested.
Someone else claimed that they’ve encountered a massive number of these types of restaurants while using food delivery apps. “Half the restaurants on doordash are ghost kitchens,” they wrote.
Nic didn’t seem too bothered by this phenomena, however. In fact, the TikToker was impressed by Outback’s re-branded tender selling business. “If it’s coming from the chain restaurants. It’s genius. The sales marketing team hit a home run lol,” she wrote.
What restaurants are hiding as ghost kitchens?
Another user on the app remarked that they’ve noticed consistent nomenclatures with ghost kitchens and their corresponding restaurants.
“It’s just wings=chili’s tender shack=outback pardon my cheesesteak=IHOP,” they said, revealing their code.
Someone else remarked, “I think it’s so funny that chuck e cheese’s pizza ghost kitchen is pasqual’s pizza.”
Furthermore, a Reddit post uploaded to the r/DoorDash sub contained some other purported ghost kitchen names. For instance, The Burger Den, is Denny’s, one commenter replied. Wingville is actually Fazoli’s. Another said that it’s not uncommon for restaurants to have multiple Ghost Kitchen names. Red Robin, they claimed, goes under Fresh Set, Chicken Sammy’s, and The Wing Dept.
More ghost kitchens
Tasting Table commented on this phenomena as well, providing a list of Ghost Kitchens advertised by well-known restaurants. The outlet echoed that Pasqually’s Pizza is indeed Chuck E. Cheese. IHOP sells its wares on food delivery applications using several different ghost kitchens. Thrilled Cheese, Super Mega Dilla, Pardon My Cheese steak, and Tender Fix are indeed IHOP.
Burgen Den and The Meltdown (which sells grilled cheeses) are Denny’s ghost kitchens. If you spot a place called Rotisserie Roast on DoorDash, know that you’re buying food from Boston Market. It’s Just Wings and Maggiano’s Italian classics is actually food from Chili’s.
The publication also confirmed that Outback Steakhouse sells meals under the name Tender Shack on food ordering apps. TGI Friday’s uses the Conviction Chicken name online for its ghost kitchens, and Applebee’s goes by Cosmic Wings and Neighborhood Wings.
Why use a ghost kitchen?
Although The New York Times writes that ghost kitchens are “disappearing” and CNN reported that they’re “crashing,” they’re still popping up in people’s search results.
But why would restaurants want to use a ghost kitchen?
One Redditor in the aforementioned post above suggested that a lot of it has to do with novelty. Folks want to try out new restaurants in their area. So if they see that there’s a spot that specializes in quesadillas, they may give that a whirl. Conversely, getting one from Denny’s may not have the same appeal to that same patron.
Additionally, this “specialty” phenomena may have something to do with a bit of knowledge successful restaurateur Gordon Ramsay imparts on Kitchen Nightmares.
In the series, he attempts to help ailing food establishments. A recurring bit of advice he often shares is to reduce the size of the menu. He also urges restaurants to have a trademark dish. If a place is known for having a specific item peculiar to them, then that could feel like a bespoke item. Consequently, it may seem more appealing.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Outback Steakhouse and DoorDash via email and Nic via TikTok comment for further information.
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