There's a lot of options available for those looking for a group dining experience that's a little out of the ordinary. Particularly for Generation Z and Millennial consumers, having a memorable time is just as important as the food that's offered, if not more so.
With this in mind, this selection of group dining experiences includes meal-delivering drone services, cafe interiors made from felt fabric and even virtual dining experiences. Although the latter seems contrary to this whole idea, its utilization highlights the importance consumers are placing on a shared connection while eating out -- even if it's a simulated one.
On the other hand, Japan's Ichiran restaurant does the opposite, inviting consumers to eat in isolated booths so that they can dedicate their focus to the flavor of their dish. In addition, a number of these unique group dining experiences show that health-focused and locally driven endeavors are gaining steam. This is due to the transparency they offer to consumers, as well as the hands-on involvement that its production requires.
15 Unique Group Dining Experiences
From Sustainable Gardening Clubs to eSports Restaurants:
Riley von Niessen — Dec 6, 2016 — Marketing
15
Communal Dining Greenhouses
The Campobaja Restaurant Offers Industrial Dining in Mexico City
14
Integrated Office Lunch Rooms
The Snøhetta Office Combines Its Lunchroom with Working Space
13
Fast Food Vacation Experiences
Taco Bell Let Fans Stay in One of Its Restaurants as a SteakCation
12
Communal Cereal Bowls
The Cinnamon Toast Squad Bowls Allow Consumers to Eat Breakfast Together
11
Sustainable Gardening Clubs
This Campus Club Promotes Proactive Urban Gardening Practices
10
High-Flying Culinary Events
Ottawa's 'Sky Lounge' Celebrates Canada's 150th Anniversary
9
Geometric Social Clubs
This Space Provides Food, Music and Encourages Socialization
8
Neighbourly Meal-Sharing Apps
The Homemade App Lets Consumers By Food From Local Cooks in the Area
7
eSports Restaurant Cafes
'Storia' by Square Enix is a Destination for Viewing Video Game Contests
6
Virtual Dining Companions
At the Sasayama Restaurant, People Eat Alongside VR Videos
5
Local Group Dining Apps
The OverAhead Kinetic Farm, Inc. Platform Accommodates Parties
4
Restaurant-Style Retirement Cafeterias
Atria Hearthstone's Cafeteria Uses Servers and Menus
3
Sky-High Dining Events
The 'Fondue in the Sky' Event Involves Dining in a Swiss Ski Gondola
2
Staff Food Hall Makeovers
Fortnum & Mason's Staff Restaurant Has Undergone an Overhaul
1
Communal Gourmet Kitchens
Lima's Urban Kitchen Lets Visitors Create Their Meal Alongside Chefs
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Idyllic Pet Pop-Ups
Uber Eats and PetSmart Created "The Best Pet House Ever"
Outdoor Kitchen Table Collections
The Danver Cosmopolitan Table Collection Has Six Models
Biodegradable 3D-Printed Pop-Up Cafes
The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Neo Store is Eco-Focused
Streaming Service Restaurants
The Netflix Bites Pop-Up Serves Dishes from Netflix Series
Sea-Inspired Anti-Smartphone Cocktails
The Futago Smartphone-Fasting Sour Encourages Socialization
Elegant Restaurant Interiors
Studio KO Celebrates Moroccan Culture in Sahbi Sahbi Interior Project
Transforming Robot Restaurants
Transformers: The Ark Provides Immersive Dining Experiences
Shapeshifting Restaurant Robots
The Conceptual Rotating Table Service Robot is Efficient
Luxurious Asian-Inspired Steakhouses
Chambers Presents Itself as Toronto's Premier Supper Club
Multicultural Pop-Up Restaurants
OpenTable's Dine London Shares the Taste of Global Destinations
Digital-Oriented Restaurant Redesigns
Wendy's Rolls Out New Design Concept, 'Global Next Gen'
Digital Sustainable Food Solutions
Special Projects Debuts Eco Lenses to Help with Decision-Making
Ninja-Inspired Curated Snack Boxes
Tokyotreat Embraces the Taste of Japan with a Ninja Theme
Sustainable QSR Tablewares
This Reusable Tableware from the Elium Studio is for McDonald's France
Specialty Meal LTO
Meal Kit Brand HelloFresh Debuts the Date Night and the Big Game Bites
Automated Robotic Salad Bars
The sweetgreen Infinite Kitchen is Being Tested in Illinois
Inside-Out Greenhouse Restaurants
Norm Architects Complete a Project in a Swedish Vineyard
Playful Restaurant Pop-Ups
The Play-Doh Restaurant of Imagination Turns Kids' Creations Edible
Ultra-Modern Luxurious Dining Establishments
DMAC Architecture Introduces the Village Supper Club
Exterior-Inspired Restaurant Designs
YOD Group Designs the New Terra Restaurant Space
Festive Showroom Eateries
Seasons Eating's at IKEA Opens Roomsets for Holiday Hosting
Tiny Tasting Menus
Disney+ and Uber Eats Created Small Bites for the New Ant Man Movie
Retro-Futurist Restaurant Interiors
Jialun Xiong Completed Her First Restaurant Interior Project
Food-Inspired Brand Imagery
Copyshow's work on a Brand Identity for Paella in Barcelona
Sustainable Restaurant Meal Kits
Moveable Feast is an Eco Fine Dining Meal Kit Delivery Service
Beer Pairing Pop-Ups
&Beer Pairs Beer with NYC’s Best Vegan Food
Culinary Pop-Up Experiences
The RC Show's Pop-Up Experience is an Adventure for the Taste Buds
Authentic Thai Meal Kits
Verve Culture's Thai for Two Kits are Indulgently Delicious
Homemade Meal Delivery Apps
Toronto Food Delivery App Cookin Brings Homemade Meals to Your Door
Luxury Experience Clubs
Taste Club Treats Members to Unforgettable Dining & Travel Experiences
Space Tourism-Inspired Restaurants
Masquespacio Designs the New Ichi Station Restaurant in Milan
AI-Generated Dining Experiences
Luminary by Rafi was An Immersive Pop-Up Restaurant Powered by AI
Exclusive Date Night Recipes
HelloFresh & Tinder Launched Date Night Delights Recipes for Couples
Environmental Eating Campaigns
#KnorrDaretoTry Challenges Gen Z to "Eat for Good"
Experiential Kimchi Pop-Ups
The Jongga Flavourverse is an Immersive Destination Devoted to Kimchi
Mobile All-in-One Ramen Restaurants
2m26 Designs a Compact Restaurant with Locally Sourced Timber
Indoor Surfing Bars
Groundswell is a Newly Opened Destination to Eat, Drink, and Surf
Contemporary Fashion Collaborations
Dinner Service NY Partners with the Canary Club
Food Truck Billboards
McDonald's Transformed Billboards into Digital Food Truck Displays
TikTok-Inspired Menu Items
Denny's Debuted a New Set of Creator Meal Collabarations
Leisure Activity Grocery Stores
The FreshTake Concept Grocery Store Blends Experiences
Cinematically Designed Restaurants
Studio Paolo Ferrari Designs the Daphne Restaurant
AI-Fueled Sustainable Product Series
SPACE10 and oio studio Add AI to Products of Place
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Tree-Informed Restaurant Roofs
Group of Architects Create the Metasequoia Grove Restaurant
Longevity-Boosting Frozen Meals
Blue Zones Kitchens Makes the Blue Zone Diet Accessible
QSR Gen Z Campaigns
Chipotle Targets Gen Z with Wellness Snapchat Lens and Menu Items
Hot Air Balloon Restaurants
CuliAir Skydining Offers Three-Course Meals in the Sky
Flavorful Toronto Restaurants
TABLE Fare + Social - Toronto's Newest Culinary Destination
Chain Restaurant Food Festivals
Chain is the Worlds First Gourmet Chain Food Festival
Experiential Shopping Platforms
sune Shares a Fun and Engaging Way for Gen Z to Shop
Educational Cheese Experiences
The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium Offers Immersive Experiences
Digitally Led Bakery-Cafes
Panera's Small-Format Store Has a Digitized Menu & Tracking Screens
Loneliness-Combatting Grocery Shopping Experiences
Oma's Soep Debuted a Shopping Basket Initiative
Celebrity Offspring Pop-Up Restaurants
Uber Eats Brings Brooklyn Beckham's Cooking to Your Door
Five-Course Vegan Dinners
Chef Alexis Gauthier Created a Vegan Fine-Dining Experience in Mauritius
Photographic Winery Experiences
This St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Group Experience Includes Glam
Gen Z Sports Apps
Stadium Live is Aiming to Entice Gen Z Consumers with Immersive Experiences
Spicy Virtual Restaurants
The Hot Ones Pop-Up Restaurant Puts Taste Buds to the Test
Interactive Digital Menus
Tabmeal Empowers Restaurants to Revolutionize the Way Guests Order
Glowing Chicken Restaurant Designs
Preen Inc Designs the Dino's Famous Chicken Restaurant
Champagne-Paired Burger Tours
14 NYC Restaurants are Exploring Burger & Veuve Clicquot Pairings
Plant-Powered Food Halls
Saluhall is a New Dining Concept by IKEA's Parent Company
Plant-Based Pizza Pop-Ups
Daiya's Slice Club in NYC Serves Plant-Curious People
Gut Health Meal Kits
The Green Chef Gut & Brain Health Recipes Come in Three Options
Cherry Blossoms-Inspired Restaurant Menus
Black+Blue is Launching a Curated Cherry Blossom Menu
Effortless Charcuterie Plates
TikTok's Viral "Girl Dinner" is a Meal Made of Small Bits and Bites
Student-Focused Foodie Tours
Deliveroo The Grub Crawl Offers Free Foodie Tours to Freshers
Upcycled Ingredient Meal Kits
The Green Chef Earth Month Selects Menu Has 12 Options
Sustainable Salad Meal Kit Deliveries
Inspired Go Debuts the New Fraîche Noodle Salad
Annex-Based Elevated Restaurants
The Annex Social is a Hidden Gem of the Neighborhood
Virtual Oil Tasting Experiences
Corto Lures Consumers in with a Virtual Tasting Experience
Instant Plant-Based Meals
kencko Launched Three New Flavors of Its Sustainable Instant Meals
Single-Serve Grocer Meals
These Meijer Heat-and-Eat Meals Come in Two Lines
Buildable Dinner Boxes
DIG's Dinner in a Box is Affordably Priced and Serves Four
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Recyclable Takeout Packaging Services
Uber Eats Begins the Reusable Packaging Trials in London
Family-Focused Meal Kits
Home Chef's Family Menu Features Meal Kits for Families
Eatery-Backed Mental Health Counseling
Original ChopShop Inspires Guests to ‘Just Feel Good’
Digital QSR-Backed Cookbooks
Chick-fil-A Unveils a Cookbook to Support its Shared Table Program
Gridded Immersive Retail Experiences
Studio Lotus Designs the New Ekaya Banaras Retail
Virtual Game Tourism Campaigns
Cape Town Launches a Virtual Game for a New Tourism Campaign
Locally Focused Visionary Tableware
IKEA's Design Lab Presents the New Products of Place Campaign
Plant-Based Inflight Menus
China Airlines' Menu Features Vegan Fish and Meat Alternatives
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Clubs
soft crush and Somm & DINR Launched Somm Grand Cru Zero
Galactic Atmosphere Restaurants
Space Perspective, SpaceVIP, and Rasmus Munk Join on an Experience
Hybrid Meat Vegetable Concepts
Leyu Li Presents Broccopork, Mushchicken, and Peaf Hybrids
Fine-Dining Bakery Bistros
Bistro Greggs Offers an Elevated Experience from the Bakery Chain
Simple Satisfying Meal Kits
Green Chef x Emily Mariko Collaborated on Wholesome Premium Recipes
Restaurant-Themed Esports Tournaments
DoorDash and Twitch Announce a Restaurant-Themed Tournament
Multi-Generational Vacation Packages
Multigenerational Vacations Connect Seniors with Grandkids
Experiential Gift Registries
Nabu is a Gift Registry Platform to Give Kids Memorable Experiences
Short-Form Foodie Feeds
Uber Eats is Testing Out a New Vertical Feed Like TikTok and Instagram
Breakfast-Included Sandwich Menus
The Urban Eat Relaunch Includes Foods for All Times of Day
Fine Dining Meal Deliveries
The 'Entrée' Meal Kit Delivery Service Offers Michelin Star Dishes
Dog-Friendly Tasting Menus
Dogue's Menu Offers Pastries for Pups, Dogguccinos & More
All-Electric Restaurant Concepts
This Chipotle Restaurant Design Harnesses Wind & Solar Power
Summer-Ready Luxe Restaurants
Black+Blue in Toronto Was Designed by Navigate Design
Tech-Focused Restaurant Councils
Lunchbox's Food Tech Council Consists of 15 Professionals
Retro-Tinged Montreal Restaurants
Ivy Studio Blends Vintage Details to Buvette Daphnée Restaurant
Restaurant Mealkit Partnerships
Goodfood Partnered with Aloette Go on Canadian Delivery
Exclusive Culinary Road Trips
Turo Partners with MICHELIN Guide for Exclusive Experience
Pocket Concierge Apps
The Scene Matches Users to Restaurants, Bars, Clubs & Cafes
Egg Alternative Meal Kits
These Ready-to-Cook Meal Kits in China Feature Plant-Based OnlyEg
Eco Fast Food Meals
PLNT Burger's Cool Kids Meal Inspires Kids to Make Different Meal Choices
Virtual-First QSR Brands
IHOP Unveils a New Expansion for its Virtual Restaurant Concepts
Pink Sushi Boxes
Dept. Sushi Serves Up Sushi in Chic, Vibrant Boxes
Multi-Serve Vegan Entrees
Sunday Supper's New Trio of Premium Entrees are Powered by Plants
Elevated Vegan Restaurants
Community Resto is a Vegan Haven with a Heart for Giving Back
Foodie Networking Apps
'YourTable' Connects People Through their Love of Foods
Community-Supporting Meal Initiatives
GiftAMeal Partners with Restaurants to Offer Free Meals
Cell-Cultured Chicken Dishes
Bar Crenn Serves Upside Foods' Cultivated Chicken with Edible Flowers
Curated Cheese Experiences
Curdbox Will Certainly Delight Cheese Enthusiasts
Ominous Interior Sushi Restaurants
VSHD Design Creates a New Look for the Origami Restaurant
Plant-Based Camping Meals
Michelin-Trained Chefs Launched Poe & Co. Folk Foods
Kid-Friendly Stir-Fry Menus
honeygrow Has Just Added Customizable Kid-Sized Stir-Frys and Salads
Parent-Focused Restaurant Menus
The Chuck E. Cheese Grown-Up Menu Caters to Adult Diners
At-Home Tasting Menus
Uber Eats Partners with Michelin Restaurant Ikoyi for a New Tasting Menu
Chef-Created Meatless Meals
Zrou Chef Creations are Co-Created with Renowned Chefs
Bio-Printed Fish Fillets
Steakholder Foods 3D Bio-Printed the World's First Cultivated Fish Fillet
Four-Course Festival Feasts
Outstanding in the Field Brings a Plant-Based Dining to Coachella
Elevated Sushi Offerings
Kura Sushi Revolving Sushi Bar Introduces New Menu Items
Elevated In-Flight Menus
Delta Airlines Enhances its Onboard Experiences with Upgraded Menus
Private Influencer Social Groups
CNDO Offers Private Social Rooms for Influencers and Their Fans
Female-Centered Restaurant Concepts
Trust Bae Showcases the Culinary Perspectives of Female Chefs
Fine Dining Meal Deliveries
Montilla Meals is Launching a Build Your Own Meal Concept
Restaurant Discovery Websites
Find Me a Restaurant Will Help You Pick Where to Eat
50+ Solo Travel Experiences
Canadian Company Explore Curates 50+ Singles Trips
Healthy Mexican QSR Bowls
Chipotle Debuts a Line of Lifestyle Bowls for Health-Conscious Consumers
Grocer-Backed Community Lunch Clubs
Mini Metro Lunch Clubs are Taking Place in Parks This Summer
Food-Focused Travel Guide Platforms
'FoodieTrip' Connects Hungry Travelers to Experienced Guides
Upscale Grocer Catering Menus
Gelson's Catering Menu Has Been Expanded with Almost Two Dozen Items
Urban Communal Dining Events
Toronto's Weekly Communal Table Program is Hosted Under a Highway
Vegetable-Packed Recipe Deliveries
The Gousto 'Veg Table' Recipe Boxes Include 12 New Dishes
Multi-Sensory Fondue Experiences
Melting Pot's Ultimate 5-Course Experience Activates Five Senses
Flaming Fare Dining Experiences
This Flaming Grill Dining Experience Requires Protective Gear
Chef-Prepared Home-Cooked Meals
Zomato Has Launched the 'Everyday' Home-Cooked Meal Service
Locally Driven Travel Agencies
On the Go Tours Offers Authentic Lodgings and Luxury Accommodations
Experiential Workplace Rewards
Bondly Has Over 300 Experiences for Employers to Reward the Team
Social Restaurant Review Platforms
CRUBSTER Let's You See Reviews From People You Follow and Trust