# Bestaurants Restaurants go to extremes to get viral attention and keep customers coming. By [Christina Butty](https://www.trendhunter.com/christina) | Published Jun 10, 2009 | Category: [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/lifestyle-trends) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/bizarre-restaurant-gimmicks-going-to-extremes-to-keep-customers-coming ## Key Figures - Trend score: 4.3/10 - Evidence articles: 6 ## What is the Bestaurants trend? **Bestaurants:** Traffic-inducing restaurant gimmicks are more important than ever with increased demand for unique dining 'experiences'. If restaurants surpass the test of a strong opening, they still need to innovate in order to retain fickle patrons, hence the rise in wacky extremes to hold customer interest. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 6 featured examples - Articles from: Sep 23, 2008 to May 21, 2009 - Published: Jun 10, 2009 - Patterns: [Divergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/divergence), [Redirection](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/redirection) - Megatrends: [Experience](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/experience) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Examples of the Bestaurants trend 6 featured examples from Sep 23, 2008 to May 21, 2009. - [Caged Treehouse Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yellow-treehouse-restaurant): The Yellow Treehouse Opens its Doors in New Zealand (Category: World) Implication: Innovative restaurant concepts like caged treehouse dining can attract tourists and provide unique experiences. - [Ex-Con Cooks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/second-chances-conviction-restaurant-employs-ex-cons): 'Conviction' Restaurant Employs 13 Former Inmates (Category: Marketing) Implication: The food industry can benefit from employing freshly paroled ex-cons, creating opportunities for a diverse workforce, and contributing to prison reform efforts. - [Prison-Themed Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prison-themed-establishments-tokyos-alcatraz-restaurant): Alcatraz in Tokyo (Category: Art & Design) Implication: Hospitality businesses can explore incorporating themed dining concepts to attract customers seeking unique experiences. - [Treetop Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/treehouse-restaurants-yellow-treehouse-by-pacific-environments-architects): The Yellow Treehouse (Category: Art & Design) Implication: Creating unique dining experiences, such as treehouse restaurants, can attract new customers and establish a competitive advantage in the industry. - [Dining For a Penny?](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dining-for-a-penny-credit-crunch-initiative-from-london-restaurant): Credit Crunch Initiative from ‘Little Bay' Restaurant in London (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Disruptive innovation opportunity: Redefining traditional restaurant business models by implementing innovative pricing strategies. - [BBQ Spas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/food-and-foot-massage-mashup-good-a-barbeque-and-tender-feet-too): Jones Serves Up BBQ Food and Foot Massages (Category: Marketing) Implication: The combination of barbecued food and foot massages presents opportunities for restaurants and spas to offer innovative and relaxing dining experiences. ## Themes within the Bestaurants trend ### Extreme Restaurant Experiences Restaurants are going to wacky and extreme lengths to create unique dining experiences that leave an impression on customers. ### Pay-What-You-Want Pricing Some restaurants are experimenting with pay-what-you-want pricing models as a response to the economic downturn. ### Hiring Marginalized Populations Businesses are creating social impact by hiring marginalized populations, such as ex-cons and former inmates. ## What the Bestaurants trend means for industry ### For Restaurant Industry The restaurant industry is embracing wacky, attention-grabbing gimmicks to keep customers engaged and coming back. ### For Hospitality Industry The hospitality industry is exploring unconventional concepts, such as treehouse hotels and restaurants, to create unique experiences for customers. ### For Social Entrepreneurship Socially conscious businesses are hiring marginalized populations and giving them a second chance to succeed in mainstream society. ## Trend signals for Bestaurants Trend score 4.3 out of 10, from popularity 72%, activity 49%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 72% - Activity: 49% - Freshness: 8% ## Recent trend clusters - [Territory Bottlings](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/exclusive-spirits-release) (Lifestyle) - [Flavor Franchising](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/dessert-menu-rotation) (Lifestyle) - [Access Framing](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/exclusive-spirits-releases) (Lifestyle) - [Care Routing](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/clinician-linked-wearables) (Lifestyle) ## Trending in Lifestyle - [Fashionable Frozen Yogurts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aritzias-aok-caf) - [Fragrant Body Care Ranges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/summer-fridays-body-collection1) - [Temple-Mounted Health Wearables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/temple-mounted-health-wearables) - [Korean-Inspired Convenience Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/korean-inspired-convenience-menus) All articles: [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle)