Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe is a jungle-themed restaurant chain owned by Landry's, Inc. of Houston. The first location opened in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, on February 3, 1994. By 1997, the chain consisted of six restaurants, all in the United States. The first international location opened in London, England in June 1997. In 1998, it was planned to build 12 additional restaurants in the United States, seven in Mexico, and five in the United Kingdom, for a total of 22 restaurants by 2008.[2]

In 2000, the Rainforest Cafe was bought by Landry's Restaurants Inc., a company specializing in dining, hospitality, entertainment, and gaming, based in Houston, Texas.[3] To date, the company owns restaurants in the United States, Canada, France, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Malta. Rainforest Cafe focuses on local tourism for a majority of their income.[2]

Design

Each Rainforest Cafe restaurant is designed to depict the atmosphere of a tropical rainforest, including fake plants, fog machines, waterfalls, and rainforest animals. The ceiling and much of the walls are lined with artificial foliage, while lower areas and booth seating are decorated with faux rock. Brick textures suggest ancient ruins, and support pillars are made to look like tree trunks. Often, there is a waterfall with a fountain in the dining area, with a statue depicting Atlas holding up the Earth globe with the words "Rescue The Rainforest" to communicate a conservation message. Papier-mâché birds and butterflies are suspended from the trees, and other whimsical rainforest creatures are mounted, as though climbing on the walls or peeking through the foliage. The ceiling above the center of the dining room features a simulated starry night sky, designed and manufactured by Fiber Optic Systems Inc., located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.[4] The bar area is situated under a gigantic mushroom, partitioned from the rest of the restaurant by a rain curtain. The chain is known for its characteristic bar stools, made to resemble the legs of animals, designed and sculpted by the artist Glenn Carter.[5] Fish tanks with tropical reef fish are spread throughout the restaurant and the gift shop space. Periodically, a simulated thunderstorm will occur every few minutes, with strobe lights and thunder effects through subwoofers.

Animatronic animals are spread throughout the restaurant. These include butterflies, elephants, gorillas, leopards, orangutans, chimpanzees, macaws, monkeys and tigers, though this will vary by location. The restaurant is laid out so that these animals are set off the ground and are largely above diners' heads, not only allowing them to be seen from farther away, but making them appear larger as well. A crocodile (a hippo in Nashville) and a python are often located in the gift shop area to attract the attention of passersby. Tracy Tree, a talking tree, sits inside the shop and provides rainforest facts. The animals are manufactured by Russells Creative, LLC, of Apopka, Florida, formerly UCFab International.[6]

A retail village is located in front of the dining area with an assortment of souvenirs that are rainforest-themed or are branded with the Rainforest Cafe logo, mostly printed by the Atlanta-based fashion apparel company Boxercraft Inc.[7] A small water feature with an animatronic crocodile (a hippo in Nashville) is located just outside the shop, in which visitors are invited to toss coins.

Rainforest Cafe also has a set of eight animal mascots, called "The Wild Bunch". These characters include Cha! Cha!, the red-eyed tree frog; Maya, the jaguar; Rio, the macaw; Tuki, the elephant; Ozzie, the orangutan; Bamba, the gorilla; Iggy, the iguana; and Nile, the crocodile. These eight characters may be represented on children's menus, merchandise, or the company logo.[7]

Menu

Rainforest Cafe serves typical American chain restaurant fare, such as burgers, chicken, pastas, and seafood, with the addition of some Mexican food to reflect the tropical theme. Their signature dessert, called a volcano cake, consists of chocolate brownie and vanilla ice cream topped with a tinsel stick that mimics the former sparkler effect.[1]

The restaurant also serves alcoholic beverages, some of which are reminiscent of those associated with tiki culture such as the Mai Tai.

Locations

Gallery

In popular culture

• The restaurant's former location in Burlington Mall in Burlington, Massachusetts, appeared in the 2009 film Paul Blart: Mall Cop.<[22]
• Rainforest Cafe sponsored Curious George on PBS Kids, replacing Amazon Grocery & Shea Homes.<[23]
• In 2022, YouTube content creators Eddy Burback and Ted Nivison visited and ate at every Rainforest Cafe location in North America, which was chronicled in two videos that went viral.<[24]<[25]<[26]<[27]

External links

• Official website