Lidl creates meaty dine-in-the-dark restaurant pop-up in Dublin

Lidl creates meaty dine-in-the-dark restaurant pop-up in Dublin

German discounter is using experience to promote Bord Bia beef.

Lidl is launching a pop-up restaurant in Dublin where guests can dine in complete darkness. Called "Rare by Lidl", the dining experience uses Lidl's Bord Bia quality assured Irish beef for each dish.

For visitors, the experience starts in a pitch-black dining room, where they are guided to tables by waiting staff wearing night-vision goggles.

The idea behind the darkness is that the lack of visual stimuli will enhance the taste, smell and touch of the food. The concept of dining in the dark and boosting the senses has become the raison d'être of some eateries, including London's Dans Le Noir, whose slogan is: "More than a restaurant, a true human & sensory experience."

Lidl, which has created a bespoke site for diners to reserve tables, has worked with award-winning chef Gary O'Hanlon to create the menu. The activation is open during 25-27 April.

Tickets for a three-course meal cost €15 (£12.85) per person and the proceeds are being donated to Lidl's charity partner Jigsaw, a mental-health charity for young people in Ireland.

Lidl said in a statement: "When sight is taken away, the sense of touch, hearing, taste and smell are heightened, turning food, drinks, dinner and conversation into a brand new adventure."

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