A great restaurant concept can make your business one in a million. With over a million restaurants in the U.S. today, unique restaurant themes intrigue customers – and draw media attention.
The WordPress Restaurant theme is designed professionally after a lot of research and analysis of the niche. Therefore, all the pages are designed with care, to reflect the purpose while inspiring the visitor to see more on your site. Moreover, the flexible page designs are easy to customize with the drag and drop Elementor page builder. This domain is for use in illustrative examples in documents. You may use this domain in literature without prior coordination or asking for permission. Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park; Water Parks. House of Blues Restaurant & Bar. Unique/Themed Dining $$ ($15 to $34.99), American Disney Springs, West Side 2575.
Whether you’re starting a new restaurant, or reinventing your concept, these 10 unique restaurant themes will inspire your creativity…
Why Consider a Themed Restaurant?
Because it’s more than a meal. It’s an experience.
According to a study by Eventbrite and Harris Interactive, customer spending on experiences has increased by 70% since 1987. The study also shows that 78% of millennials would rather purchase an experience than an item or product.
You could argue that dinner itself is an experience. But unique restaurant themes go the extra mile by adding entertainment.
Some experts believe guests are craving experiences because they want to share stories and photos on social media. Unique restaurant themes give people something to brag about, promoting your restaurant in the process.
It’s an Instagram picture in a hospital gown while at the Heart Attack Grill in Vegas (see #8).
Or, it’s sipping a craft beer…with a cat at Koneko in NYC (see #4).
While these 10 unique restaurant themes go all out, you don’t have to. A little entertainment goes a long way in giving guests a memorable experience. From live trivia events to theme nights, try these 7 tips for cultivating a more entertaining vibe at your place.
You’ve Got the Write Idea: Unique Restaurant Themes Based on Books
1) The Hobbit Cafe
Love “Lord of the Rings”? Check out this hobbit hangout in Houston.
Since 1973, The Hobbit Cafe, has been a go-to spot for big fans of Tolkien. When the Hobbit Café first opened, they offered a vegetarian menu crafted around a traditional hobbit diet.
Now, the cozy café is known for a great craft beer selection and more varied dining options (all named after Tolkien characters, of course). The Smaug’s Delight and Bilbo Magnificent are fan favorites.
Takeaway: Create unique restaurant themes based on your favorite work of fiction. But be smart: The owners are careful not use “Lord of the Rings” in their actual branding (it’s trademarked).
2) Poe’s Tavern
Some of the best unique restaurant themes combine literature with local history. Take Poe’s Tavern, located in Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, for example.
In the 1800’s, the famous poet Edgar Allan Poe was stationed in Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island. This inspired the owners to name the quaint burger joint in the author’s honor.
The walls are adorned with quotes from the elusive poet, along with portraits and articles of the restaurant’s namesake. Menu items are also monikered based on Poe’s most famous pieces, with burgers named after the “Gold Bug,” “Raven,” and “Tell-Tale Heart.”
Takeaway:Build unique restaurant themes around famous local authors or other historical figures who once haunted your town. As an added bonus, historical works of fiction are often in the public domain – so trademark is less of an issue. When in doubt, check the U.S. Patent Office’s searchable online database.
Unique Restaurant Themes with Animals
3) Doggy Style Deli
Unique restaurant themes have gone to the dogs…literally. This Canadian deli offers a menu specifically for the pups. It includes items like duck sausage rolls and lamb stroganoff for four-legged guests to enjoy. They even offer doggie birthday parties.
But food isn’t all they do. Doggy Style Deli also has a novelty shop with products for pooches, like leashes and collars.
Takeaway: You don’t have to implement unique restaurant themes exclusively for dogs. But many restaurants and bars are now offering dog-friendly outdoor seating (just check with your local health and zoning departments to ensure it’s legal). Like Doggy Style Deli, you could also create an on-site gift shop as an added revenue stream.
4) Koneko
Felines and food? Yes, you can pet a cat and eat a snack at Koneko in Manhattan.
Touted as America’s first cat cafe and sake bar, this eatery was inspired by one of the most unique restaurant themes in Japan…dining with cats (koneko means “kitten” in Japanese).
At Koneko, you can enjoy traditional Japanese fare with a glass of wine, beer, or sake. About 20 cats roam freely at your feet.
Unique restaurant themes can also be aligned with a strong mission. Guests can adopt any of the furry friends that join them for a meal at Koneko.
Takeaway: Ok, you’re probably not going to let cats go wild in your place. But you could dedicate a beer tap handle to a local animal shelter – and donate the proceeds from every pour. Or, run a live trivia night between animal shelters in your community. The winning team gets a donation from your restaurant.
Pop-Cultured Inspired Unique Restaurant Themes
5) Zombie Burger
Get weird with your unique restaurant themes.
Des Moines, Idaho is ground zero for this post-apocalyptic burger joint. Zombie Burger has now spread to 3 additional locations where fans of the undead can dine during a (simulated) zombie outbreak.
Described as a 1970s roadside burger joint with a zombie twist, the Zombie Burger Joint + Shake Lab immerses guests in another time and place. Guests can devour self-proclaimed “GOREmet” menu items, like the “Walking Ched” and the “Undead Elvis.”
Takeaway: Look to popular TV franchises for unique restaurant themes. Remember, don’t use the actual show name (in this case, the Walking Dead).
Restaurant Theme Songs
6) Saved by the Max
It’s truly a TV dinner at Saved by the Max. This popup immerses guests in unique restaurant themes from a favorite 1990s sitcom…Saved by the Bell.
Guests dine like the gang in Belding’s office for dinner or brunch, while Michelin star chef Brian Fisher delivers entrees named after the famous characters – like “AC’s Sliders” or “Mac & Screech.”
Takeaway:A pop restaurant can give you a chance to explore unique restaurant themes. Try a pop-up dinner event with a unique theme to see how guests react.
How to Run a Promotion for Maximum ROI
The ultimate guide for owners & managers.
Wayyyy Out-of-the-Box Unique Restaurant Themes
7) Opaque
When it comes to unique restaurant themes, Opaque is in the dark.
Guests eat their meals in complete darkness. After placing orders in a lit room, diners are guided to a pitch-black dining room to enjoy their meals.
Takeaway:Pick one of the five senses and run with it when exploring unique restaurant themes. That could mean offering a variety of culinary textures for touch or an aroma bar for smell.
8) Heart Attack Grill
Some unique restaurant themes break all the rules. The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas offers the greasiest, highest calorie burgers you can find.
The worst nightmare for vegetarians and the health-conscious crowd is a dream come true for those who want to indulge.
The Heart Attack Grill is set up like a hospital (oh, the irony). Guests are referred to as “patients,” servers are dressed and addressed as “nurses,” and orders are considered “prescriptions.”
With items like the Triple Bypass Burger®, the Heart Attack Grill has come under scrutiny for taking their gimmick too far. (They even offer free food to diners weighing over 350 pounds). Still, the grill has been serving burgers and making headlines since 2005.
Takeaway:Explore unexpected concepts as unique restaurant themes. While some say that all press is good press, be prepared for some negative attention.
Unique Restaurant Themes That Get Diners Involved
9) Safe House
One of the most unique restaurant themes to try is giving guests a role to play. At Safe House, diners double as international spies.
Located in discrete buildings labeled as “International Exports Ltd.” in Milwaukee and Chicago, guests enter by providing a password. If they don’t say the right word, guests must perform (often embarrassing) “missions.” These missions are broadcast via surveillance cameras to the diners inside.
Once “spies” infiltrate the dining area, they’re treated as covert operators on a mission for fun and food.
Takeaway:Find unique restaurant themes that get your guests involved as participants rather than bystanders. Another option is bringing in a murder mystery theater group that invites patrons to solve the case from their tables.
10) JBJ Soul Kitchen
JBJ Soul Kitchen sends guests on an actual mission – to donate or volunteer as payment for their meals. There are no set prices at the 2 JBJ Soul Kitchen restaurants in New Jersey. The goal of these unique restaurant themes is to help those in-need and to fight world hunger. With over 84,000 meals served as of May 2018, this restaurant is fulfilling their mission.
Takeaway: JBJ stands for Jon Bon Jovi. This community restaurant is run by his foundation. Look to local celebrities or charities to see if you can partner up for unique restaurant themes.
The ultimate takeaway is this: unique restaurant themes can be silly, serious, immersive, or even controversial. But one thing each restaurant has in common? They give guests an entertaining, memorable experience that goes beyond the plate.
Are you looking for fun and profitable restaurant event ideas? Having the same events and parties week after week at your restaurant can get boring for your customers and make them less excited to dine there. It’s time to put on some new events to generate more interest. Here are just a few ways to attract new customers with special evenings.
Decade Nights
Do you remember the bell bottoms of the ’80s? Encourage your guests to dress in their old wardrobes as they enter a roomful of soft disco light and dine on pineapple chicken and cheese logs. You can do the same with other decades, too.
Charity Event
Restaurant Theme Preschool
Give back to the community with a charity event. You’ll attract locals with the promise of supporting a good cause, and you can also get creative with appropriately-themed dinners and drinks. For example, if you’re donating part of the evening’s proceeds to breast cancer awareness, you can serve pink daiquiris at a discounted price.
Love Is In The Air
You don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day to create a romantic tradition. You can say that the first Friday night of every month is your official Love Night, and before you know it, couples will be flocking to your candlelit tables and special deals for two.
Sports Arena
Go fanatical for an evening to support local sports teams. For one, you’ll be guaranteed the business of all the players, coaches, cheerleaders and fans; you’ll also have the opportunity to challenge your chefs to create fun dishes that epitomize the game at hand.
Celebrity Encounters
Can you persuade a local celebrity to tend the bar for an evening? Not only will they draw a crowd, but you can also reflect their latest movie or album with themed decorations or special menu items. It’s one of many restaurant event ideas that will pay off in spades.
Deal Of The Day
If you don’t already have special dishes depending on the season, now is the time to create them. For example, you might feature seafood in the spring or thick, meaty stews in the winter. It will keep your menu exciting and your ingredients fresh, and customers will have something to look forward to every month.
Wine Tastings
People will turn out in droves for wine tastings. You don’t even have to close the restaurant as a special occasion; simply advertise good deals on wines during specific nights or make it easy for customers to sample multiple bottles at a discounted rate.
Live Music
People love live bands playing music while dining at your restaurant. Even more so when it’s a local musician that they want to support. Consider booking local musicians, who are always looking for their next show, at least a couple times a week. While it’s OK to have the same band playing regularly if they bring in the customers, try to mix things up a bit every once in a while to keep things fresh.
Singles’ Night
Consider hosting a singles’ night to help singles meet new people at your restaurant. Speed dating can be a fun spin on this event to get more people in your restaurant.
Theme Nights
Whether it’s 80’s, 90’s, Christmas, Halloween, Mardi Gras or Hawaiian, people love theme nights. Think of something fun and original that people can dress up for.
Buy One, Get One
Offer buy one get one free appetizers or desserts on your slowest night of the week. It’s a great way to get new customers in the door on what otherwise would have been a low profit night.
Ladies’ Night
You’ve heard of this one before at the local bars. However, it can work at your restaurant as well. Once a week, offer ladies specials on drinks, appetizers or desserts. For example, a free dessert with every main course. This one is a plus for the guys too if they’re picking up the tab.
Men’s Night
It’s not all about the ladies. Hosting a guy’s night can be a great way to increase interest in your restaurant. Guy’s are already heading out with their friends to watch the game, so why not give them that extra reason to choose your restaurant over your competitors.
Restaurant Theme Decor
Karaoke
A lot of restaurants and bars do karaoke. Try to make this one a little more unique to stand out. Put on a karaoke competition for an hour or two once a week with the winner getting their meal paid for. Your customers will love it and the quality of singing will be a little better when a free meal is on the line.
Comedy Night
Host a local comedian to do some stand up at your restaurant. You don’t always need just live music performers. Plus, when people are laughing and happier, they’re more likely to stay longer and order more.
Open Mic Night
Don’t just let the professionals run the show, consider having an open mic night. Anyone in your local area that’s looking to get practice and more exposure would jump at the opportunity to play at your restaurant. Whether it’s music, comedy or poetry, your customers will enjoy the authenticity of the local talent.
VIP Only
Treating your most loyal customers like VIPs will ensure they come back time and time again. It will also make new customers want what they have. Create a VIP club where members get 10% off their orders. Once a month, host a VIP only event with live music and new menu items for your loyal customers to try out first.
Happy Hour
Let’s face it, if everyone else it doing it so should you. People leaving work are often looking for a place to go with their coworkers. If you’re competition offers a happy hour and you don’t, how are you going to get those customers in your door? It’s a great way to get people in the door. Once they see what you have to offer, they’ll be back for more.
Guest Chef Night
Your chef is the best, but it doesn’t hurt to freshen things up a bit. Once a month, have a guest chef night where a new chef comes in with a couple new items on the menu. Bonus points if you can get a well known celebrity chef.
Guest Bartender Night
Same as the guest chef night, but host a new bartender. Most good bartenders will be able to create a few new one-time drinks to add to your menu. They can even put on a bit of a show behind the bar teaching people the best way to make these cocktails.
Cooking Classes
50s Themed Restaurants
People love your food, but they can’t eat at your restaurant every night. If you host cooking classes and teach people how to make your dishes, while giving them a cookbook to take home, your restaurant will constantly be on their mind. Their next night out is more likely to be at your establishment.
These are just a few restaurant event ideas that can shake things up at your establishment. Hosting events and parties regularly will have a positive impact on your restaurant with more tables filled each night. Have fun!