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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nUnlike other restaurants that succeeded mainly because of their menu, themed restaurants banked on media buzz and fandoms to build success. That\u2019s not to say the food wasn\u2019t central to the themed restaurant experience, with some themed restaurants having notable chefs design their menus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the menu of Steven Spielberg\u2019s nautically-themed Dive!<\/em> restaurant was designed by Chef Michael Northern, who\u2019s now the Vice President of WJP Restaurant Group. Launched in 1994 in a submarine-shaped building, Dive! served mouthwatering gourmet submarine sandwiches (their signature dish), SUBstantial salads, fresh pastas, wood-oven-roasted entrees, and delectable desserts. But ultimately, what drew patrons to Dive! was the near-authentic submarine experience they offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every 45 minutes, water would cover Dive!\u2019s portholes, lights would flash, and the sounds of a submerging submarine would play through the speakers, giving diners the illusion of being inside an actual sinking submarine. This lasted for only 30 seconds, yet it was long enough to leave Dive!\u2019s patrons, especially tourists, wanting to have mementos of their time there. So Dive! opened retail spaces for souvenir shops, which would make up 15% of their gross sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not every themed restaurant may have reached Dive!\u2019s level, but Dive! had gone to show the power of an immersive theme coupled with a high-quality menu. Sadly, despite Spielberg and his partners having envisioned building over 60 branches of Dive!, the restaurant closed down<\/a> its California location in 1999, and its Vegas location followed suit in the early 2000s. The reason? Poor location and mixed criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Century City, California wasn’t as popular of a tourist destination as Las Vegas, causing Dive!\u2019s original branch to decline in sales. Meanwhile, the adult guests who frequented Dive! eventually grew tired of the simulations, while the children suffered sensory overload and became too anxious to finish their appetizers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What we can learn here is that the novelty of themed restaurants can wear off quickly, just like what happens to any fad. The restaurant industry can\u2019t thrive on short-term fads and trends, so many themed restaurants are often built as pop-ups. The owners run their restaurants with only short-term goals so as to not force a business model that will quickly lose popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But now, in the age of Instagrammable business establishments, themed restaurants are becoming appealing again. Is 2023 the year they officially return?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though restaurants have been hit hard by the pandemic, restaurateurs haven\u2019t lost their passion and creativity at all. Two years after the mass lockdowns and closures, the industry is on its way to full recovery, bringing nostalgia as themed restaurants emerge again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But unlike before, today\u2019s themes are more subtle and broadly appealing. We may occasionally see Game of Thrones<\/em> or Stranger Things-<\/em>themed restaurants here and there, but they\u2019re mostly just pop-ups, built to celebrate the opening week of the shows. Another reason they\u2019re usually built as pop-ups is that they are based on someone\u2019s intellectual property, so restaurateurs must obtain permission and pay expensive licensing fees<\/a> to be able to run a pop-culture-themed restaurant for the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, permanent themed restaurants can still target a niche market, but not so much fanbases anymore. Think of dog or cat cafes. The theme is more inclusive that even if you haven\u2019t had a pet dog or cat, you won\u2019t be intimidated by the cafe as opposed to, say, visiting a video-game-themed restaurant when you haven\u2019t played any video game in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Themes centered around an activity, like surfing, also makes an appealing restaurant theme these days. Likewise, bookish-themed restaurants<\/a> have also been getting a lot of attention. These themes may appeal the most to people who like to surf or read, but they are not exclusive, and just about any foodie can enjoy the theme as long as the food is good. In this case, the atmosphere and aesthetics are just bonuses to share on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re thinking of building a themed restaurant today, take note of the keywords \u201csubtle\u201d and \u201cbroadly appealing.\u201d Such themes are more timeless and flexible, something the foodies of Instagram will love. But more importantly, no matter what your restaurant\u2019s theme is, be sure to prepare a thorough restaurant business plan for it first.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThemed Restaurants in the 2020s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Themed](\"http:\/\/www-review2.sapaad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/shutterstock_1127061146-1024x513.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOpening a Themed Restaurant in 2023<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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