# Deploy as a pod, or drop it into an existing kitchen

The pod can go two ways. Both serve the same goal: low prices on restaurant meals made with rich, quality ingredients, because the money saved on buildout and labor goes to the plate.

## Option 1: a second-generation kitchen

A gutted second-generation restaurant space often still has its Type I hood, fire suppression, grease interceptor and heavy plumbing and electrical rough-ins. Reusing that infrastructure instead of building from a bare shell saves an estimated **$67,000 to $238,000** in buildout.

| Infrastructure | New install | In a second-gen space | Estimated savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type I hood and ductwork | $15,000 to $50,000 | Already in place | $15,000 to $50,000 |
| Fire suppression (UL 300) | $8,000 to $25,000 | Lines and nozzles often in place | $8,000 to $25,000 |
| Make-up air unit and roof fans | $8,000 to $25,000 | $0 to about $2,000 of service | $6,000 to $23,000 |
| Grease interceptor | $3,000 to $15,000 | Already tied in | $3,000 to $15,000 |
| Plumbing (floor sinks, drains, gas) | $20,000 to $60,000 | $0 to about $5,000 of rerouting | $15,000 to $55,000 |
| Electrical service (200 to 400A) | $10,000 to $50,000 | Existing drops | $10,000 to $50,000 |
| Permits, architecture, engineering | $15,000 to $30,000 | Much lower | $10,000 to $20,000 |
| **Total** | | | **$67,000 to $238,000** |

These are general estimates from typical commercial kitchen buildouts, not quotes.

**The tradeoffs:** a second-gen space usually comes with a 3 to 10 year lease and landlord approvals. Fire and health officials may require an older hood to be brought up to current code or the suppression system to be recertified. The layout has to follow the drains, gas lines and ducts the last tenant left.

## Option 2: the self-contained pod

The pod carries its own UL 710B ventless hood (about $8,400 in the BOM) and its own automated clean-in-place system. That lets it skip restaurant real estate and sit on a sidewalk, a parking lot or another small, low-rent footprint with no ductwork and no walls to build.

## Which to pick

- Already have, or can lease cheaply, a second-gen kitchen: drop the cooking cell into it and reuse the hood, suppression and plumbing.
- No kitchen space, or rent is high: deploy the full pod on a small outdoor footprint.