Question 1

Do you need planning permission for a dark kitchen in the UK?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the council. In England, some planning authorities treat a dark kitchen as Class E(g)(iii), light industrial, so a change from another Class E use may not need permission; others treat it as sui generis, which requires permission. Camden took enforcement action on that basis in 2018, and a later appeal against Birmingham City Council also found the use to be sui generis.

Question 2

Do dark kitchens get a food hygiene rating?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Registration triggers a local authority inspection, and in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that produces a rating from 0 to 5 published on the FSA website. Scotland records Pass or Improvement Required. Display at the premises is required in Wales and Northern Ireland and voluntary in England.

Question 3

Can you run a dark kitchen from home?

Accepted Answer

A home kitchen selling food commercially is a food business and must register with the local authority 28 days before trading, including when it sells only through apps or social media. The inspection and rating follow. Platforms and brand licensors then apply their own rules, and some, such as Dish'd, exclude home kitchens.

Question 4

How much commission do delivery apps charge a dark kitchen?

Accepted Answer

Uber Eats publishes UK fees of 30% of the order value when its couriers deliver and 13% for self-delivery or collection. Other platforms set rates by contract. On an illustrative £15 hot order, an app delivery leaves about £3.55 after VAT, food, packaging and commission, against about £7.60 through the kitchen's own website.

Question 5

Is VAT charged on delivered food?

Accepted Answer

Hot food sent out for delivery is standard-rated at 20%. Cold takeaway food is generally zero-rated, except confectionery, crisps, ice cream and soft drinks, which are always standard-rated. VAT registration becomes compulsory once taxable turnover passes £90,000.

Question 6

Does a dark kitchen need a late-night licence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if it supplies hot food between 11pm and 5am. That is late night refreshment under the Licensing Act 2003 and needs a premises licence, including for delivery-only kitchens. The licensable moment is when the food is handed over, so orders cooked before 11pm but collected after it are caught.

Question 7

What packaging can a dark kitchen use?

Accepted Answer

In England, single-use plastic cutlery and polystyrene containers for ready-to-eat food have been banned since 1 October 2023, including for online orders. Plastic trays and containers remain allowed when they are the packaging the food is delivered in. Trading Standards enforces the ban.

Question 8

Who is responsible for allergen information on delivery apps?

Accepted Answer

The food business, not the platform. The FSA requires allergen information before the order is completed and again at delivery, in writing and free of charge, and expects customised dishes to be reflected in what is delivered.

Question 9

How much does it cost to rent a dark kitchen?

Accepted Answer

No national average is published. A three-kitchen unit in Clapham was advertised in 2026 at £35,000 a year on a full repairing and insuring lease, and managed sites such as Karma Kitchen let kitchens on short leases of about a year. Licensed brand models such as FoodVerse start from £499 a month on top of the kitchen itself.

Question 10

What hygiene rating do delivery platforms require?

Accepted Answer

It is set by contract, not law. Deliveroo's partner policies require a minimum of 2 and allow removal below it, and brand licensor Dish'd requires at least 3. Other platforms set their own thresholds at onboarding.

François Lozano

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