Standard inspection workflow
Structured quick-reference sections for prerequisites, installation, usage, and troubleshooting.
Prerequisites
- PowerShell 5.1+ or PowerShell Core 6.0+
- Azure PowerShell modules: Az.Accounts, Az.ResourceGraph, Az.Billing
- Reader role on target subscriptions with Resource Graph read permissions
- Authenticated Azure session (`Connect-AzAccount`) before running the script
Standard inspection workflow
- 1Run a baseline scan across your accessible subscriptions to identify empty App Service Plans.
- 2Review the generated HTML report and prioritize higher-cost Standard/Premium/Isolated tiers first.
- 3Use a custom `-OutputPath` for scheduled reporting or stakeholder sharing.
- 4Validate whether plans are intentionally reserved for future use before cleanup.
.\\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1.\\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1 -OutputPath "C:\\Reports\\GhostKitchens.html" -OpenReport:$true.\\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1 -OutputPath "\\shared\\reports\\Monthly_GhostKitchens.html" -OpenReport:$falseCommon parameters
| Parameter | Purpose | Typical scenario |
|---|---|---|
| -OutputPath | Writes the HTML report to a specific location | Scheduled monthly reporting / shared folders |
| -OpenReport | Controls whether the report opens automatically | Set `$false` for automation |
The page examples emphasize reporting workflow automation and stakeholder sharing.
Kitchen tier cost signals
| Tier | Restaurant label | Monthly cost signal | Cleanup risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Community Kitchen | $0 | Safe to close |
| D1 | Food Truck Space | $9.67 | Check usage |
| B1-B3 | Basic Restaurant | $13-$53 | Verify with team |
| S1-S3 | Standard Restaurant | $70-$280 | High review priority |
| P1-P3 | Premium Restaurant | $62-$584 | Critical review |
| I1-I3 | Luxury Private | $188-$980 | Danger zone / confirm intent |
What the report helps prioritize
The HTML report is designed to surface the highest-cost empty plans first so teams can focus on high-value cleanup.
| Report area | Used by | Decision outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Tier/cost breakdown | FinOps / engineering | Which plans to review first |
| Subscription summaries | Platform owners | Where ghost kitchens cluster |
| Risk labels | Ops teams | Whether to validate usage before action |
Troubleshooting
- If required Azure modules are missing, install/update the Az module set before rerunning.
- If KQL queries fail, confirm Resource Graph access and provider registration for the target subscriptions.
- If no ghost kitchens are found but you expect results, validate permissions and verify the plans truly have no attached apps.
Automation mode
Use `-OpenReport:$false` in scheduled tasks to avoid interactive behavior and write reports to a predictable shared path.
Professional Kitchen Inspection Features
Everything you need to identify and eliminate ghost kitchens bleeding your Azure budget
Automated Ghost Detection
Scans all Azure subscriptions for unused App Service Plans using advanced KQL queries
Real-time Cost Calculation
Provides precise monthly and annual cost analysis with current Azure pricing
Beautiful HTML Reports
Professional restaurant-themed reports perfect for executive presentations
Multi-tier Analysis
Covers all App Service Plan tiers from Free (F1) to Isolated (I1-I3)
Risk Assessment
Color-coded risk levels from safe community kitchens to critical luxury spaces
Subscription Breakdown
Restaurant chain analysis showing waste per Azure subscription
Savings Projections
Monthly and annual savings potential with staged closure recommendations
Flexible Configuration
Customizable output paths, silent mode, and automated scheduling support
Kitchen Types & Waste Potential
Our restaurant classification system with monthly cost impact
| Kitchen Tier | Type | Monthly Cost | Best For | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Community Kitchen | $0 | Testing/Development | Safe to close |
| D1 | Food Truck Space | $9.67 | Simple shared sites | Check usage |
| B1-B3 | Basic Restaurant | $13-$53 | Small business sites | Verify with team |
| S1-S3 | Standard Restaurant | $70-$280 | Production workloads | High risk |
| P1-P3 | Premium Restaurant | $62-$584 | Enterprise applications | Critical review |
| I1-I3 | Luxury Private | $188-$980 | Isolated/compliance | Danger zone |
Kitchen Inspection Recipes
Professional usage examples for different restaurant management scenarios
Basic Restaurant Audit
Simple inspection across all your restaurant chains
# Quick kitchen inspection .\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1 # Results auto-open in browser # Report saved as OrphanedAppServicePlans_Report.html
Custom Kitchen Report
Professional inspection with custom report location
# Custom report location .\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1 \ -OutputPath"C:\Reports\Q4_GhostKitchens.html" \ -OpenReport:$true
Silent Monthly Inspection
Automated inspection for scheduled tasks
# Silent mode for automation .\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1 \ -OutputPath"\\shared\reports\Monthly_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM').html" \ -OpenReport:$false
Enterprise Restaurant Management
Advanced inspection with comprehensive reporting
# Enterprise-grade inspection $ReportPath ="C:\Enterprise\GhostKitchen_Audit_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyy-MM-dd').html" .\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1 -OutputPath $ReportPath # Email report to stakeholders Send-MailMessage -To"cfo@company.com" -Subject"Monthly Ghost Kitchen Report" -Attachments $ReportPath
Success Stories from Fellow Restaurant Managers
Real savings achieved by kitchen inspectors using our tool
"Found 12 ghost kitchens costing us $3,200/month! The premium P3 kitchens were the worst offenders. Closed them all and bought the team lunch with the first month's savings!"
"The beautiful reports made it easy to show our CFO exactly where our Azure budget was hemorrhaging. Saved our department $18,000 annually!"
"Finally, a cost optimization tool that doesn't put people to sleep! The restaurant theme got our whole team engaged in proper Azure resource management."
"We were paying for 5 I3 isolated kitchens ($4,900/month) that hadn't served a single customer in 8 months. This tool saved our bacon!"
Shopping List (Requirements)
Everything you need to start your kitchen inspection
Required Kitchen Inspector Tools
- PowerShell 5.1+ or PowerShell Core 6.0+
- Azure PowerShell Modules (Az.Accounts, Az.ResourceGraph, Az.Billing)
- Azure Account with restaurant inspection rights
- Reader role on target subscriptions
- Resource Graph Reader permissions
Quick Installation Recipe
# Install Azure PowerShell toolkit Install-Module Az -Force -AllowClobber # Connect to your Azure restaurant empire Connect-AzAccount # Download the kitchen inspector git clone https://github.com/cloudcostchefs/CloudCostChefs-Empty-Restaurant-Kitchen-Cleanup.git # Navigate to the kitchen cd CloudCostChefs-Empty-Restaurant-Kitchen-Cleanup # Start your first inspection .\Azure-OrphanedAppServicePlans.ps1
Kitchen Inspection Troubles
Common issues and their solutions
Required Azure PowerShell modules not found
Install the restaurant management toolkit
Install-Module Az -Force -AllowClobber
Access Denied to Kitchen Inspection
Ensure proper Azure permissions
# Required permissions: # - Reader role on subscriptions # - Resource Graph Reader # - Microsoft.ResourceGraph/resources/read
No Ghost Kitchens Found (When Expected)
Check permissions and App Service Plan usage
# Possible reasons: # 1. Excellent restaurant management! # 2. Permission issues # 3. All plans have attached apps
KQL Query Failed
Verify Resource Graph access
# Ensure: # - Microsoft.ResourceGraph provider registered # - Subscription-level Reader permissions # - Resource Graph service available
Ready to Clean Up Your Restaurant Empire?
Start identifying ghost kitchens and reclaiming your Azure budget today. Join thousands of restaurant managers saving money with CloudCostChefs tools.
Average Savings: $500-$20,000+ monthly
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Success Rate: 100% ghost kitchen detection
What to do next
Pick the path that fits where you are right now.