The Allure of Nostalgia: Why Guests Love Dining at Restaurants That Take Them Back in Time

Reliving happy memories makes us feel great. Let’s face it: Guests spend more money when they’re feeling great.

Every time I step foot in my favorite diner, my childhood floods my mind. There are photos, décor , and even songs playing that make me feel like I’ve stepped back into my younger self. Many return customers frequent their favorite spots to recreate this very feeling.

From hole-in-the-wall diners that have stood the test of time to newer restaurants that transport you to another period, nostalgia makes guests feel right at home.

Promoting a nostalgic atmosphere is great for restaurants because of the immediate positive effects it produces. The American Psychological Association confirms that experiencing nostalgia – that comforting feeling we get when reminded of fond moments from the past – supports mental health by “affirming social belonging, alleviating loneliness, and enhancing our sense of meaning.”

There are many ways to make guests feel a sense of going back in time to a place they felt happy and at peace. Often this is a time during childhood, or the formative coming-of-age years spent as a teenager.

Implement music that reinforces the theme you’re going for. Whether it’s a broader decade like the 1980s or wanting to create an environment where guests feel like they’re walking into your family’s dining room, soundscapes help set the tone. Visual aids like old pictures or paintings can also accomplish the same goal.

I’ve been to many restaurants in my lifetime that have made me feel right at home, wistful to recount a pleasant memory or two. Here are some examples of places where guests can rediscover their good old days…

Anthony’s Runway Eighty-Four

This iconic Italian American Restaurant and Supper Club has been around since 1982. Although they underwent a renovation not too long ago, Anthony’s Runway Eighty-Four made the wise decision to keep their décor consistent with their past. The owners’ father, who is referred to as “The Restaurant Godfather,” always told his sons when opening Anthony’s Runway to stick to the old-school methods when it came to the food and the people: surround yourself with family and flavor.

When eating there, you definitely feel like you’re part of a family and are encouraged to dress up to enjoy the special occasion. Guests enjoy jewel tones incorporated in an elaborate design, and often comment on how the flavors haven’t changed in years – which is a good thing considering that’s the main element they come back to experience. Comforting, delicious dishes along with rich velvety draping decorations make you feel like you’re Italian-American regardless of where you’re actually from.

50’s Prime Time Café

It’s a good thing we’ve evolved past the 1950s – but not all of it was bad. The 50’s Prime Time Café at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is diner-style dining that reminds us of the good parts of the 1950s while making fun of them at the same time. It’s a themed restaurant with intricate design details that we’ve now come to expect from the Disney brand.

From 1950’s style television sets airing old black-and-white clips to post-modern seating in vinyl booths, each table is treated like a dining table at home from long ago. Servers even yell at you for resting your elbows on the table (all in good fun!) and remind you to wash your hands before you eat. I was once scolded during a particular visit for not finishing my vegetables. Although I was not alive during this time, it’s fun to step foot into another period, enjoying moments where family time was treasured. Ironically, I’ve now created so many memories at this place that it brings nostalgia for me in a different form.

Flanigan’s

Whenever I dine at this South Florida staple, I feel like I’m part of the Flanigan family. Pictures from Joe “Big Daddy” Flanigan’s very own scrapbook adorn the walls, showing his children and grandchildren on boats with their fresh fish catches, or other family members enjoying the sunny South Florida waterways. The brand has been around since 1959, and has established a place of comfort and relaxation that makes the locals feel right at home.

If you ask any Floridian (including myself), they’ll tell you that not much has changed in the restaurants over the last few decades. And that’s a good thing. With all of the technological advancements and changes Florida has been through, it’s nostalgia that keeps us coming back, being reminded of the natural beauty that makes South Florida what it is. Despite the continuing construction and development, Flanigan’s bring guests back to a time when all that mattered was what kind of fish you caught – and what beer you’d crack open to celebrate after.