What Makes The Only Rainforest Cafe In Canada Different From All The US Locations

To many, the Rainforest Cafe is an American staple and one of the most iconic themed restaurants in the country (but to some, it falls a bit short compared to other chains). Almost all of the restaurants share their most important aspects, like the signature animal animatronics and quirkily named menu items. However, a few of the chain's cafes differ from the others, like the Florida location in Disney's Animal Kingdom that holds the title of the world's largest Rainforest Cafe. But the most unique location is definitely the one in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. While the Ontario restaurant is not only worth a visit to see the 80-foot-tall volcano outside of the diner, it is also right next to the Niagara Falls waterfall, which makes it an easy stop for hungry tourists.

What makes it so interesting, though, is that this Rainforest Cafe is actually independently owned. The American chain is operated by a dining company called Landry's; since the Ontario location isn't, many things that Rainforest Cafe fanatics have come to know and love may not actually be present here.

The Niagara Falls location is unique: Some customers have reported that the quality of the food is better there than at the U.S. locations, while others say it's about the same. The restaurant also has a shark tank whereas most other locations just have tropical fish on display in their aquaria.

However, some Rainforest Cafe fans have issues with what they feel are missing aspects of the iconic themed restaurant. One angry Tripadvisor reviewer said that the atmosphere wasn't right as soon as they stepped into the restaurant and was upset that their Landry's Loyalty Card was denied, since the Ontario cafe isn't owned by Landry's. The reviewer also said the quality of the food was lacking, the aquaria weren't as impressive, the dining room had a weird layout, and the thunderstorm soundscape was too quiet. Other reviews also note that the location does not honor the chain's usual discounts, which many families find inconvenient.

However, though there are a few unfortunate downsides to an independently owned Rainforest Cafe and some bad reviews, there are also thousands of happy customers who compliment its unique environment and state that they had a great experience. The restaurant still has a 3.5-star average rating on Tripadvisor with over 3,000 reviews. What the restaurant may lack in specific Rainforest Cafe merchandise, it makes up for in customer service and location. For more restaurant news, check out our ranking of steak at 12 different sit-in, fast-food, and fast-casual restaurants.