Dining with unique emotional and social interactions

This year, Alchemist in Copenhagen made it onto the list of the "World's 50 Best Restaurants." Some food bloggers have called it "the most magical restaurant in the world." Inside, the restaurant feels like a massive artistic "labyrinth," where diners journey through a series of imaginative art installations before sitting down to their meal.

World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Alchemist in Copenhagen. Video: Xiaohongshu @Oui chef美食策展人

In China, restaurants offering immersive experiences that blend dining with unique emotional and social interactions have emerged—a growing trend in the competitive restaurant industry.

Dinner with a Show

In Beijing, there's a "Fearless Pirate" themed restaurant that combines immersive theatre with dining, featuring a popular pirate-themed interactive dinner. Over two hours, guests enjoy a suspenseful mystery play while dining, with actors interacting with the audience. The average cost per person is ¥228 ($32), according to reviews on Dianping.

"Fearless Pirate" themed restaurant in Beijing. Image: Xiaohongshu @大蕊大大蕊

Escape Room Dining

In Quanzhou, Fujian, a horror-themed restaurant merges escape room elements with Western cuisine, drawing many young couples. Guests sign a "life-and-death agreement" before navigating spooky settings to find their seats, guided by NPCs dressed as zombies or vampires. The menu features Western dishes like pasta and steak, with haunting themes such as "Reviving Herb" and "Devil's Eye." The average cost per person is ¥216 ($30), based on Dianping reviews.

Horror-themed restaurant in Quanzhou. Image: Xiaohongshu @饼饼爱分享

Hotpot and a Movie

Movie-themed restaurants have seen a rapid rise in recent years. For example, since its founding in 2017, Sanke Cinema (三克映画) has opened nine locations across various cities, combining dining with film. Each venue has a unique movie theme, offers Southeast Asian cuisine and hotpot, and the average cost per person is about ¥80 ($11).

Sanke movie-themed restaurants. Image: Xiaohongshu@绵羊旅记 @ 小短腿饲养员 @Wuli小冰冰呀

Additionally, Pizza Hut launched a movie-themed restaurant in Beijing at the end of 2020, blending Western dining with cinematic elements.

Pizza Hut launched a movie-themed restaurant in Beijing. Image: Xiaohongshu @必胜客

Wrapping up

For restaurants without supply chain or scale advantages, increasing turn to interaction and social appeal to provide unique emotional value and create a competitive edge. Although this approach requires significant investment, it enhances the customer experience and strengthens brand identity. In the competitive market, innovation and diversification are crucial for survival. However, these themed restaurants face higher costs in areas like decor, labour, and scene maintenance, making it a challenge to cover these expenses without a higher average spend per customer.