Rainforest Cafe

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American jungle-themed restaurant chain

title: "Rainforest Cafe" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1994-establishments-in-minnesota", "2000-mergers-and-acquisitions", "animatronic-attractions", "jungles-in-fiction", "restaurant-chains-in-the-united-states", "restaurants-established-in-1994", "restaurants-in-houston", "restaurants-in-nashville,-tennessee", "theme-restaurants", "restaurant-franchises"] description: "American jungle-themed restaurant chain" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainforest_Cafe" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American jungle-themed restaurant chain ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

FieldValue
nameRainforest Cafe
logoRainforestCafeLogo.png
logo_size225px
typeSubsidiary
foundation, Bloomington, Minnesota
founderSteven Schussler
location_cityHouston, Texas
location_countryUnited States
locations22 restaurants
area_served{{plainlist
key_peopleTilman J. Fertitta (chairman, president, and CEO)
industryRestaurants
productsPasta, Seafood, Salad, Sandwiches, Dessert; Merchandise
parentLandry's Restaurants (2000-Present)
logo_captionRestaurant logo
homepage
::

| key_people = Tilman J. Fertitta (chairman, president, and CEO) | industry = Restaurants | products = Pasta, Seafood, Salad, Sandwiches, Dessert; Merchandise | parent = Landry's Restaurants (2000-Present) | logo_caption = Restaurant logo | homepage = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Rainforest-cafe-auburn-hills-michigan.jpg" caption="A neon-sign welcomes visitors to Rainforest Cafe, located inside the [[Great Lakes Crossing Outlets]] shopping complex in [[Auburn Hills, Michigan]] in 2016"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Rainforest_Cafe,Las_Vegas(2596973531).jpg" caption="MGM Grand Hotel and Casino]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] in 2008"] ::

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.

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. 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.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Rainforest_Cafe_Galveston_Texas.JPG" caption="Exterior of the Rainforest Cafe in [[Galveston, Texas]] in 2010"] ::

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 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. 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. 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.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Disney_Animal_Kingdom_Rainforest_Cafe_1.jpg" caption="Rainforest Cafe at [[Disney's Animal Kingdom]] in 2002"] ::

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, an animated tree face, sits inside the shop and provides rainforest facts. The animals are manufactured by Russells Creative, LLC, of Apopka, Florida, formerly UCFab International.

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. 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.

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.

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

Locations

U.S. locations

International locations

Former locations

Gallery

File:Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom.jpg|The logo of the Rainforest Cafe at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Bay Lake, Florida, on January 12, 2018.

In popular culture

  • The restaurant's former location in Burlington Mall in Burlington, Massachusetts, appeared in the 2009 film Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
  • Rainforest Cafe sponsored Curious George on PBS Kids, replacing Amazon Grocery & Shea Homes.
  • 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.

References

References

  1. "Rainforest Cafe".
  2. "Rainforest Cafe". The San Antonio River Walk Guide.
  3. "Landry's, Inc – Finding Success on All Fronts". Landry's Inc..
  4. "Retail and Commercial Projects". Fiber Optic Systems, Inc..
  5. (8 April 2015). "Bellevue sculptor goes down the rabbit hole". Idaho Mountain Express.
  6. "Furry Creatures". UCFab International, LLC.
  7. Cooper, Janice. "Rainforest Cafe - A Wild Experience".
  8. Phillips, Justin. (2017-10-02). "Rainforest Cafe shuts down in San Francisco".
  9. "Locations".
  10. "Rainforest Café – MGM Grand Hotel & Casino".
  11. "Yorkdale Shopping Center – Rainforest Cafe".
  12. "Rainforest Cafe @ South Coast Plaza Mall".
  13. "Rainforest Cafe @ Oak Park Mall".
  14. "Rainforest Cafe @ Towson Town Center".
  15. "West Farms Mall – Rainforest Cafe".
  16. "Rainforest Cafe @ Franklin Mills Mall".
  17. "Westfield South Center Mall – Rainforest Cafe".
  18. "Mall of America – Rainforest Cafe".
  19. LaFratta, Kristin. (December 20, 2018). "40 Massachusetts malls and shopping centers ranked from the worst to the best". MassLive.
  20. Moody, Annemarie. (July 28, 2009). "New Season of Curious George Teaches Preschoolers About Health and Fitness".
  21. McCormack, Olivia. (2023-08-14). "He ate at 22 Margaritavilles — and learned the joy of Jimmy Buffett". [[The Washington Post]].
  22. Stangland, Sean. (July 7, 2022). "A YouTube gem goes to Gurnee and beyond: 18 Rainforest Cafes in 3 weeks". [[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois).
  23. Johnson, Stephen. (2022-07-08). "The Out-of-Touch Adults' Guide to Kid Culture: Why Are 'Gentleminions' Being Banned?". Lifehacker.
  24. Maxwell, Samantha. (December 15, 2022). "Rainforest Cafe and the Enduring Appeal of Experiential Chain Restaurants". [[Thrillist]].

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1994-establishments-in-minnesota2000-mergers-and-acquisitionsanimatronic-attractionsjungles-in-fictionrestaurant-chains-in-the-united-statesrestaurants-established-in-1994restaurants-in-houstonrestaurants-in-nashville,-tennesseetheme-restaurantsrestaurant-franchises