Mack Group previews its new dark ride restaurant

The useful part

Do you look for a restaurant to have lunch, or keep riding rides while others go eat? It's "eatX," a new concept that the company unveiled today at the IAAPA Expo Europe in London. Photo courtesy Mack Group Mack Group oversees Mack Rides, which developed the ride vehicle, as well as Europa-Park and its Michelin-starred Eatrenalin immersive fine dining restaurant.

How it works

• The first installation of eatX will be Strawberry Dining Journey at Karls Erlebnis-Dorf.
• The experience will combine a three-course menu with a journey through five themed worlds, inspired by the discovery of the garden strawberry in 1714.
• The ride will include lighting and sound design along practical sets and projections.
• "The ambition was never to create a restaurant with an experience attached, or an attraction with a meal attached," Karls founder Robert Dahl said.
• For that hour, the outside world should disappear and you should even forget that you are in Elstal." Strawberry Dining Journey is set to open in 2027.

Details worth keeping

Every theme park fan faces this dilemma when noon rolls around. Go on a dark ride and enjoy a sit-down meal, at the same time. "By merging these disciplines together, we've created an entirely new genre of dining attraction." The FlowDiner vehicle is an autonomously moving table, powered by a battery and electric motor that can move a 0.5 meters per second.