NYCs first Rainforest Cafe to open at the Empire State Building but theres a catch
No monkey business.New Yorkers will get their first taste of the Rainforest Cafe when the classic theme restaurant opens on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building the first week of October.The caw caw-worthy news comes after the Big Apple opening of the beloved, conservation-focused chain restaurant — a staple of upscale malls in the late 1990s and early 2000s — was teased by ESB management in what was quickly outed as an April Fool’s joke, earlier this year.
At the time, The Empire State Building’s X account deadpanned that the “world’s highest Rainforest Cafe” was setting up shop in the iconic staple skyscraper.As it turns out, the harmless prank caused a rumble in the jungle online — with nostalgic fans pleading to make the gag a reality.“After massive interest and quick reactions from fans online, we are pleased to announce a limited-time pop-up with Rainforest Cafe on the iconic 86th Floor Observatory,” the Empire State Building said in a written statement.The four-day long event will run from Thursday, October 3 through 6 from 10 a.m.to 6 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online — with “access to limited edition Rainforest Cafe x ESB merchandise, and special food offerings” promised.Further details were not immediately available.Queens native and Rainforest Cafe creator Steven Schussler opened his first, dream restaurant — which quickly became famous for its animatronic apes, elephants, glowing blue fish tanks, thunder, animal stampedes, working waterfalls, and more natural, misty scenery — back in 1994 at the Mall of America, near Minneapolis.
While living in a Twin Cities suburb, Schussler, who started out slinging hot chocolate at Shea Stadium, tested his concept by building a $400,000 mock rainforest in his own home — equipped with a real waterfall, 40 actual tropical birds, two heavy tortoises, iguanas, and a baboon that had free reign in the house, according to The Hustle.Schussler’s electric bill, in excess of...