Theme restaurant
Encyclopedia
Theme restaurants are restaurant
s in which the concept of the restaurant takes priority over everything else, influencing the architecture
, food, music, and overall 'feel' of the restaurant. The food usually takes a backseat to the presentation of the theme, and these restaurants attract customers solely on the premise of the theme itself.
Popular chain restaurants such as Applebee's
or Bennigans – despite having a distinct and consistent style throughout their locations – would not be considered to be theme restaurants by most people. Theme restaurants have an instantly recognizable, easily articulable concept that can be summed up in a few words at most, an almost cartoonish exaggeration of an idea. The popular Rainforest Cafe
restaurants have the obvious theme of a "Tropical Rainforest". Medieval Times has its theme of "Medieval Europe". The Jekyll & Hyde Club
evokes an atmosphere of Jack the Ripper and Victorian horror novels. Some theme restaurants use controversial images, contexts, or ideas. The most notorious of them is Hitler's Cross, in Mumbai, India.
One strange but famous theme restaurant in Berlin, Germany is called "Das Klo" (German for "The toilet") it depicts the insides of a toilet.
s started opening in the United States in the mid to late 1930s.
In the late 1950s, David Tallichet
began opening restaurants decorated as Polynesian islands, New England fishing villages and World War II
era French farmhouses (barricaded with sandbags to protect against German bombardment). His Proud Bird restaurant at the Los Angeles International Airport had headphones at each table so that diners could listen to control-tower chatter. Almost all of his restaurants were in Southern California. His company, Specialty Restaurants, grew to revenues of $185 million at its peak in 1980.
, Wilderness Cafe, and Bugaboo Creek locations suggest a decline in popularity. Theme restaurants often depend on tourist business, since the theme soon becomes stale to locals, and the focus is not necessarily on good food and service. Certain tourist destinations such as the Mall of America
or Orlando, Florida
have better chances of supporting theme restaurants. Theme restaurants are commonplace at theme parks, such as Universal Studios
.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s in which the concept of the restaurant takes priority over everything else, influencing the architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, food, music, and overall 'feel' of the restaurant. The food usually takes a backseat to the presentation of the theme, and these restaurants attract customers solely on the premise of the theme itself.
Popular chain restaurants such as Applebee's
Applebee's
Applebee’s International, Inc., is an American company which develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurant chain. As of September 2011, there were 2,010 restaurants operating system-wide in the United States, one U.S. territory and 14 other countries...
or Bennigans – despite having a distinct and consistent style throughout their locations – would not be considered to be theme restaurants by most people. Theme restaurants have an instantly recognizable, easily articulable concept that can be summed up in a few words at most, an almost cartoonish exaggeration of an idea. The popular Rainforest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe is a themed restaurant chain owned by Landry's Restaurants, Inc. of Houston, Texas. It was founded by entrepreneur Steven Schussler. The first location opened in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota on February 3, 1994. In 1997, the chain consisted of only six restaurants,...
restaurants have the obvious theme of a "Tropical Rainforest". Medieval Times has its theme of "Medieval Europe". The Jekyll & Hyde Club
Jekyll & Hyde Club
The Jekyll & Hyde Club and the Jekyll & Hyde Pub are two theme restaurants owned by Eerie World Entertainment in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York. The name and theme derive from Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 Victorian gothic novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr...
evokes an atmosphere of Jack the Ripper and Victorian horror novels. Some theme restaurants use controversial images, contexts, or ideas. The most notorious of them is Hitler's Cross, in Mumbai, India.
One strange but famous theme restaurant in Berlin, Germany is called "Das Klo" (German for "The toilet") it depicts the insides of a toilet.
Origins
Chains of Tiki barTiki bar
A tiki bar is an exotic–themed drinking establishment that serves elaborate cocktails, especially rum-based mixed drinks such as the "mai tai" or "Zombie cocktail". Tiki bars are aesthetically defined by their Tiki culture décor which is based upon a romanticized conception of primitive tropical...
s started opening in the United States in the mid to late 1930s.
In the late 1950s, David Tallichet
David Tallichet
David Compton Tallichet Jr. was a United States businessman, noted as the father of the themed restaurant...
began opening restaurants decorated as Polynesian islands, New England fishing villages and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era French farmhouses (barricaded with sandbags to protect against German bombardment). His Proud Bird restaurant at the Los Angeles International Airport had headphones at each table so that diners could listen to control-tower chatter. Almost all of his restaurants were in Southern California. His company, Specialty Restaurants, grew to revenues of $185 million at its peak in 1980.
Trends
The early 21st century closings of several Planet Hollywood, Jekyll & Hyde ClubJekyll & Hyde Club
The Jekyll & Hyde Club and the Jekyll & Hyde Pub are two theme restaurants owned by Eerie World Entertainment in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York. The name and theme derive from Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 Victorian gothic novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr...
, Wilderness Cafe, and Bugaboo Creek locations suggest a decline in popularity. Theme restaurants often depend on tourist business, since the theme soon becomes stale to locals, and the focus is not necessarily on good food and service. Certain tourist destinations such as the Mall of America
Mall of America
The Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the...
or Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
have better chances of supporting theme restaurants. Theme restaurants are commonplace at theme parks, such as Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
Some well-known theme restaurants
- Dolly Parton's Dixie StampedeDolly Parton's Dixie StampedeDixie Stampede is a dinner theater with two locations in the Southern United States. Dixie Stampede is owned by Dolly Parton and The Dollywood Company, a branch of the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation.-Locations:...
: American Patriotic - Ed Debevic's: 1950s Diner
- Johnny RocketsJohnny RocketsJohnny Rockets is an American restaurant franchise whose concept is to create a classic American restaurant atmosphere. The theme is the diner-style restaurant that had become a common sight by the 1950s...
: 1950s Diner - Hard Rock CafeHard Rock CafeHard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
: Rock music - Jekyll & Hyde ClubJekyll & Hyde ClubThe Jekyll & Hyde Club and the Jekyll & Hyde Pub are two theme restaurants owned by Eerie World Entertainment in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York. The name and theme derive from Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 Victorian gothic novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr...
: Victorian English Horror - Medieval TimesMedieval TimesMedieval Times Dinner and Tournament is a family dinner theater featuring staged medieval-style games, sword-fighting, and jousting performed by a cast of 75 actors and 20 horses. Each location is housed in a replica 11th-century castle, with the exception of the Toronto location, which is housed...
: Medieval - Planet HollywoodPlanet HollywoodPlanet Hollywood, a restaurant inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood, was launched in New York on October 22, 1991, with the backing of Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.-History:...
: Movie stars - Rainforest CafeRainforest CafeRainforest Cafe is a themed restaurant chain owned by Landry's Restaurants, Inc. of Houston, Texas. It was founded by entrepreneur Steven Schussler. The first location opened in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota on February 3, 1994. In 1997, the chain consisted of only six restaurants,...
: Jungle Rainforest - Jimmy Buffett's MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett's MargaritavilleJimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is the name of a United States-based casual dining American restaurant chain and a chain of stores selling Jimmy Buffett-themed merchandise...
: Tropical Beach - ESPN ZoneESPN ZoneESPN Zone is a Southern California-based chain of two sports-themed restaurants that include arcades, TV studios, and radio studios that are currently franchised, but formally owned by the American cable network ESPN. The first ESPN Zone opened in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 11, 1998, in the Power...
: Sports Bar - Bubba Gump Shrimp CompanyBubba Gump Shrimp CompanyThe Bubba Gump Shrimp Company Restaurant and Market is a seafood restaurant chain inspired by the 1994 film Forrest Gump. As of September 2010, thirty-two Bubba Gump restaurants operate worldwide. Twenty-two of these locations are in the United States, three are in Japan, two are located in Mexico,...
: The film Forrest GumpForrest GumpForrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
(the first theme restaurant inspired by a film) - The Hellfire: A 'haunted' restaurant in Manchester, UK.
- Safe House RestaurantSafe House RestaurantThe Safe House Restaurant opened in 1966 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It has been used as a backdrop in movies shot in Milwaukee such as a bar scene in Major League, and has been featured on the History Channel as one of the best secret locations to visit in the United States...
: a spy-themed restaurant/nightclub established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1996. No sign, advertised by word of mouth only. - Heart Attack GrillHeart Attack GrillThe Heart Attack Grill is an American hamburger restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada . It has courted controversy by serving high-calorie menu items with deliberately provocative names....
: Hospital