By: Ron Shaw
Whether you are a tourist visiting New York City for the first time, or a local charged with showing said tourist all around, chances are you have been to any number of the themed restaurants that used to be extremely popular. The Hard Rock Café still exists and is doing well as it really is the gold standard for this type of establishment. The only true competition it ever really had was Planet Hollywood. One could be forgiven for not even know that Planet Hollywood in Times Square had closed its doors well before COVID-19 even was a thing. But for fans of “dining among the stars”, all is not lost.
The New York Post reports, “global hospitality company Earl Enterprises has signed a lease for a new, four-level, 17,500-square-foot Planet Hollywood at 140 W. 42nd St. between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, Realty Check has learned. It will occupy the lowest floors of the building that’s home to a Hilton Garden Inn, but will not be part of the hotel.”
In order to maximum the space and get the most bang for their buck, Planet Hollywood plans to incorporate other popular brands in the plans. According to The New York Post, The Planet Hollywood eatery on floors two and three will have 250 seats, about half as many as at 1540 Broadway which closed before COVID. The venue will offer two distinct themes, “an homage to movies” similar to the original Planet Hollywoods, and “more of an art gallery installation environment” showcasing works of famous artists who “focus on their own Hollywood twists.” The ground floor will have a 100-seat outpost of Chicken Guy, a fast-casual collaboration between Earl and celebrity chef Guy Fieri.”
Guy Earl, Founder and CEO of Earl Enterprises, an global hospitality group, is also goin g to incorporate some of his personal innovations into the plan. Earl also co-founded delivery-only food service Virtual Dining Concepts, and so Planet Hollywood’s the third component will be a “virtual dining” facility for delivery to “all the great office buildings and hotels nearby,” he said. Customers can order dishes prepared in the location’s “massive kitchen” for 10 different food brands. The New York Post reports, “One of them will be MrBeast Burger from “Mr. Beast” Jimmy Donaldson, who was named by Forbes last month as YouTube’s highest-earning star with $54 million in revenue in 2021. Customers can customize meals by choosing items from more than one brand on a single order, Earl said.”
Earl, a previous owner of the Hard Rock Café, is confident in his ability to make the “new” last Hollywood a success, telling The New York Post, “Look, everything has evolved. The consumer has evolved. We’re 30 years on and stayed current and relevant.”
