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I love a wacky, creative idea as much as the next person, but I’m not sure I could eat at one of the Modern Toilet Restaurants in Taiwan. However, it does seem like one of those things you have to try at least once.
If you haven’t heard of the Modern Toilet Restaurant chain (yes, it’s a franchise), you can get the full details from Time. Long story short, the restaurant started with one location in 2004 serving ice cream in serving dishes shaped like toilets. Fast forward five years and now there are multiple locations serving complete menus in dishes shaped like toilets, sinks, bathtubs and so on. Even the chairs, tables and decor are designed to look like toilets, sinks and other bathroom accessories. Check out the pictures on the company’s website.
What I love most about this business is that it started small, became a fad, and now, the team behind the brand is working to extend that fad into a full blown business model. From their website:
“The arrival of the ‘Modern Toilet Restaurant’ launches the next generation of toilet-themed restaurants! More variety, better service! With new ideas and new products, our goal is to become ‘The No. 1 Brand in Themed Chain Restaurants’. (In an age where creative marketing is king, even feces can be turned into gold!)”
So far, the strategy seems to be working. It just goes to show you, even the craziest idea can have legs. Sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time with ambition, passion and a belief in your product to strike business and branding gold!
What do you think? Would you eat from a toilet-shaped dish while sitting on a toilet?
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Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc. and Founder & Editor in Chief of an award-winning blog, WomenOnBusiness.com. She is a 25-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored 10 books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.
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It might be nice if the toilets you’re sitting on actually worked, then you could enjoy your meal uninterrupted. I know! How about a bar where they catheterize you before you start drinking. No more bothersome trips to the men’s room and waiting in line. I know they already have the “Stadium Pal”, but this isn’t a true catheter.
Susan, I’ve seen a copycat of this restaurant right here in Penang, Malaysia. I’ve never been tempted to go in – not because I’m not wacky enough but it’s just too traumatic for me. I find eating out of a toilet bowl one of the awfullest things and I would not pay to do so. There’s just too much stigma for me. I’m not particularly keen to sit on the ‘throne’ and have a meal! The other spin-off of this kind of themed restaurant is one resembling a prison. Once the novelty wears off, the food better be damn good or no one goes back to the ‘loo’ again?
Krista,
I think you’re absolutely right. In order for the brand to survive, the restaurant will need to have something of value to provide to consumers after the fad fades. Hopefully, the answer to longevity will be good food and great service!
Scott,
As always, thank you for making me laugh!