Here’s the headline used to grab the reader’s attention in an article by Vanessa R. Frazier: “Must-Try Restaurants in 2025: 11 Exciting New Dining Experiences You Can’t Miss.”
Notice that it’s not just about the best new restaurants but the dining experience. The list included café wine bars, takeout Wagyu beef burgers, and curated high-end grocery selections from grab-and-go concepts. It did not pertain to the latest pickleball craze or playing miniature golf while enjoying globally inspired food.
An “experience” means something different to everyone.
And that sums up the industry’s continuing direction as another New Year unfolds. So, what experiences are our potential guests looking for? A bit of social competition? A taste never experienced? An environment that elevates all senses?
Yes.
Book an Experience
An OpenTable survey found that 42% of diners are more interested in experiential dining in 2025 compared to 2024. The five most popular dining experiences they want to try this year include tasting menus, dinner with a show, bottomless brunch, special promotional offers, and themed dining experiences. Diners wanting unique, curated experiences are up 27% YoY.
The survey also found that over 50% of respondents want to dine out more this year. For the younger generation, that percentage rose significantly to a whopping 68% for Millennials and 71% for the Gen Z crowd. And what does this crowd want? An experience.
Here are a few of the attributes guests look for when searching for experiential dining.
A Backstory
In a novel, the backstory brings an emotional realism to the characters. It makes the reader care. In a restaurant, it does much the same thing. Do you want to go to a restaurant where you don’t know the chef, the origin of the food, or why they chose their concept? Or do you want to get wrapped up in the storyline? For most, the answer is clear.
A perfect example comes from Bar and Restaurant and their interview with Executive Chef Oscar Cabezas of Teleferic Barcelona. Their California, family-owned restaurant group serves authentic Spanish food, and according to Cabezas, they want to leverage experiences over meals.
“People are craving more than just good food. We are eager to connect with our guests on an emotional level by sharing the stories behind the food, our ingredients, and our staff. We are heading to immersive, memorable experiences. This could involve interactive dining, like a paella cooking class, themed nights – flamenco night – or unique tasting menus that tell a story. At our restaurant, we have a ‘Chef’s Counter’ experience, where guests can interact with the chefs and learn about the dishes.”
It sounds like they’re definitely leaning into the experience and offering what today’s guests are searching for. In addition to the backstory, they’re supplying them with interactive dining, from dancing to the chef’s table.
A Unique Atmosphere
Luxury Guide recently came out with their “Must-Try Design & Dine Destinations in 2025.” In addition to the food and beverages, this must-see list focused on the aesthetics—the surroundings that take diners to another world.
Japón at The Setai Miami Beach creates a “serene dining experience” with velvet seating, intricate wooden patterns, and fabric pendant chandeliers.
Museum H.R. Giger Bar in a picturesque castle in Switzerland entices guests to enjoy light bites and libations in a cave-like space with arches and seating made of large vertebrae. The Swiss artist H.R. Giger conceptualized the idea behind the Alien in the 1979 film.
An Adventure
Miniature golf? A shooting range? Perhaps a high-tech game of darts? Today’s dining experiences centered around social competition are a hot ticket and are growing exponentially.
One of the newest to enter the arena is F1® Arcade.
F1® Arcade began in London in December 2022 before expanding to Birmingham. The first officially licensed Formula1 racing experiential hospitality brand opened its first location in the U.S. in Boston’s Seaport in April 2024. Washington, D.C., came shortly after, in October. In 2025, the brand expects to open about 30 more locations, including in Denver’s RiNo District. Guests will experience a high-energy race atmosphere with full-motion simulators, a 19-foot-long island bar, and best-in-class food and beverages.
Are you ready to entice diners with an experience? While a 12,000-square-foot venue with advanced racing machines would be lovely, you can also enhance your guests’ experiences with a shareable dining experience incorporating nostalgic elements, from themed events to retro-inspired dishes. It’s all in the story.
The EMERGING Fund has so much faith in the high demand for experiences, entertainment, and great food that we invest in brands like the Flight Club, F1® Arcade, and Puttshack. Mathew Focht, the Founding Managing Partner of EMERGING, recently spoke with Sportico about their investment in F1® Arcade. “We helped build the growth plan, put our money in there, and we’ve now seen a nearly 10 times return on the initial valuation in about two years.” Fundraising for the fund is expected to close in early 2025 with a hard cap of $150 million in capital.
