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Commissary vs. shared vs. ghost kitchen: which do you need?
These three names get used loosely, and one kitchen can be more than one of them. What matters is what a kitchen provides, who inspects it, and whether your business can legally use it. Here is how they differ, and how to choose.
Checked November 5, 2026
The terms below are industry usage, not legal definitions, and they come from national sources, not North Carolina regulators. For permits and approvals in Mecklenburg County, the county health department has the final say.
At a glance
The three kinds of kitchen
| Kind | What it is | Who uses it | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissary kitchen | A licensed base where a mobile food business stocks, cleans and gets serviced. Many are support sites, with parking, a sink, water and a check-in point. Some are full production kitchens. | Food trucks, trailers, carts, caterers | Water fill, wastewater dump, parking, and whether the county will approve it for your truck |
| Shared kitchen | A licensed production kitchen that more than one food business rents, usually by the hour, month or lease. Tenants share time slots and cost. | Caterers, bakers, meal prep, packaged food makers, market vendors, trucks | Scheduling, what equipment is included, storage, fees and deposits |
| Ghost kitchen | A kitchen set up for delivery-only food, with no dine-in or storefront. Also called a dark, virtual, cloud or shadow kitchen. | Delivery-only restaurant brands, chains testing new menus | Delivery app fees, no walk-in customers, and whether it is a shared space or a single brand's kitchen |
Sources: CloudKitchens, Union Kitchen, Nation's Restaurant News. These are industry sources, and one of them describes Washington, DC, not Charlotte.
Part 1
Commissary kitchens
If you run a food truck, trailer or cart, this is the one that matters. In North Carolina a permitted restaurant or commissary serves as the base of operations for a pushcart, and a mobile food unit works out of a commissary or, if it meets the same requirements, can act as its own. Mecklenburg County's plan review form asks for a commissary approval form with your plan.
Because you return daily for supplies, cleaning and servicing, location, parking and a water and wastewater connection matter as much as the equipment list. Details are in our guide to commissary kitchen requirements in Mecklenburg County.
Part 2
Shared kitchens
A shared kitchen is a licensed space where several businesses cook, often with equipment, storage and utilities included. It suits businesses that need to prepare or package food but do not have their own location: caterers, bakers, meal prep services and packaged goods startups.
Some Charlotte shared kitchens are managed spaces that bundle equipment, utilities and food safety support, while others rent time or space with few extras. Check who regulates the kitchen. One Charlotte listing, Sweet Spot Kitchen, says it is regulated only by the NC Department of Agriculture and cannot host businesses the Health Department governs.
Part 3
Ghost kitchens
A ghost kitchen exists to make food for delivery. Customers order through apps, and there is no dining room. A virtual restaurant, a delivery-only brand, can run out of a ghost kitchen or out of a regular restaurant's kitchen.
Our directory covers shared and commissary kitchens, and it does not list ghost kitchens. If a delivery-only concept is what you want, a shared kitchen with regular hours can also work.
Part 4
Which should you pick?
- Food truck, trailer or cart. Start with a commissary the county will approve. 8 of the 10 kitchens in our directory list food trucks as a business type.
- Caterer. A shared kitchen with the equipment and storage you need.
- Baker or packaged food maker. A shared kitchen, after you confirm which agency regulates your product. It can be the county or the NC Department of Agriculture.
- Meal prep. A shared kitchen with cold storage and hours that fit your schedule.
- Delivery-only restaurant concept. A ghost kitchen or a shared kitchen with regular hours.
Browse all 10 listings, with prices and terms where kitchens publish them, in our kitchen directory. Running a truck? Read the step-by-step food truck guide.
FAQ
Common questions
Is a commissary kitchen the same as a shared kitchen?
Not always. A commissary is usually a base for food trucks and carts, which may offer parking, water and storage. A shared kitchen is a licensed production kitchen that several businesses rent. Many places do both, and the terms overlap, so ask what a specific kitchen provides.
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Mecklenburg County?
Usually yes. Mecklenburg County's mobile food unit form says a unit works out of a commissary the Health Department approves. State law also lets a mobile food unit act as its own commissary if it meets the commissary requirements, so ask the county which applies to your truck.
Is a ghost kitchen a commissary?
Not exactly. A ghost kitchen is built for delivery-only food with no dine-in space. Many sit in shared commissary spaces, but a ghost kitchen does not by itself make a food truck's base of operations.
Can my home kitchen be my commissary?
No. The state says a private home cannot be used in connection with a food establishment, so a home kitchen cannot be a commissary for a mobile food unit.
Not sure which kitchen fits?
Tell us what you need and we will point you to kitchens that may fit your business, budget and timeline.
More guides
Information on this page comes from CloudKitchens, Union Kitchen and Nation's Restaurant News for general definitions, a North Carolina Division of Public Health memo on mobile food unit commissaries, Mecklenburg County's mobile food unit plan review form and our own directory listings, checked on November 5, 2026. Terms vary by kitchen, so confirm what each one provides.
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