5 Incredible Restaurants Built with Shipping Containers in the US
Vanessa Joy Eugenio 
Apart from industrial applications of shipping containers and shipping container shops, another extraordinary use for them is a shipping container turned into restaurant.
More likely than not, you’ve already seen them around. Shipping container restaurants are pieces of urbanistic design scattered across the US. As pop-up bars and coffee shops or permanent parts of al fresco surroundings, they are widely popular now and are definitely here to stay.
Today, restaurants made out of shipping containers are much more than cheap road cafés or rural diners. They look very special, and many of them are the type of sophisticated establishments you can visit for a romantic dinner with your significant other or even a business lunch with your partners.
Let’s see how the idea of steel cargo containers crafted into the dining space is realized in different American cities, and consider the most amazing examples of restaurant shipping containers in the US.
Advantages of the Shipping Container Restaurant Concept
Starting a restaurant is a complex affair that embraces a number of steps, from choosing the cuisine to working out a design theme to developing a detailed business plan to bringing the whole idea to life.
A concept of a restaurant made of shipping containers is widely favored by modern caterers since it has a lot to offer to smaller and bigger businesses alike. Want to launch a private canteen or café with homemade food? Plan to open a small eatery in a food court? Or to expand your existing restaurant network with a specialty place? A restaurant shipping container is an apt concept for different needs, with quite a few benefits to it.
Affordability
A typical cargo container is much more affordable than renting an area in the mall, a dedicated food spot, or a free-standing building. While you’ll have to purchase a container, it’s a one-time investment that will quickly pay off. As such, it’s a perfect option for a low-budget small container restaurant or a themed food court area somewhere in a city plaza.
Quick and Simple Installation
Getting a restaurant project off the ground is a time- and effort-consuming job. Setting a brick-and-mortar building or mounting a pavilion and designing the interior and exterior can take long months or even years, not to mention receiving the necessary permits. Shipping containers can be equipped and organized much faster and with less hassle, thus, ensuring a quick startup that won’t cost you a fortune.
Standout Design
To gain popularity and generate revenue, a restaurant should stand out from the crowd. And it’s not only about the food but also about the whole design. A restaurant made of a shipping container has a unique and trendy look in its own right. Completely different from what most of us are used to, it catches eyes, turns heads, and offers a unique eating experience. Most customers will rather want to sneak in than pass by.
Mobility
In the dynamic world of today, sticking to one place limits your sales and growth capabilities in a way. With a restaurant shipping container, you’ll get much more flexibility, being able to set up a stationary eatery, refit the storefront, or move your café to anywhere you have more customers. The sky is the limit.
5 Examples of Popular Restaurants Made of Shipping Containers in the US
The United States is home to many new trends in design and architecture, so no wonder it harbors multiple shipping container restaurants. Here are the most popular examples of restaurant shipping containers that nest in big USA cities.
SnackBox, New York
Take a break from the New York rush and taste a hot dog that is given a number of different twists in SnackBox. The small striped black and white grab-and-go diner is located in the center of Times Square, which is one of New York’s biggest attractions.
Mersea, San Francisco
The endless beaches of California are alluring and inviting. The island style and rugged urban culture are seamlessly combined in the Mersea restaurant – the pearl of the Treasure Island. Made up of a group of shipping containers refurbished and decorated with artwork, this place has the sea spirit mixed with big city vibes. They serve seafood and fish, light salads, and traditional burgers and pizzas.
Bin 702, Las Vegas
Are you a gourmet in the gambling city? If so, meet Bin 702. Whether you crave a sip of good wine with an exquisite cheese plateau, a succulent beefy steak, or a classic sandwich, all your culinary desires will be met. Made up of two huge cargo containers, using the best of the steel style, and located in a downtown container park, this place is a piece of unmatched industrial design.
El Rey, Washington
Want a bite of Mexican food for dinner in Washington, DC? Then head for El Rey. Dedicated to Mexican cooking tradition and serving tacos, burritos, chili, tequila, and flavorful Mexican beer, this restaurant made out of shipping containers boasts a unique design. Its exterior is a splash of color, and the retractable glass roof over the patio is its signature feature.
Detroit Shipping Company, Detroit
Made up of 21 remodeled shipping containers, this place is an incredible food spot with a great idea behind it. It’s a small restaurant town in the core of a big industrial city. A spectacular piece of architecture, the two-floor building is home to a few cafés and bars embracing the best traditions of street food, as well as to lovely small shops selling coffee and ice cream.
Final Thoughts
Though a relatively new trend, restaurant shipping container examples have already revolutionized the food industry. They unleash new horizons and bring whole new design concepts to aspiring restaurateurs. And the best thing is that they’ve made the restaurant business more accessible to entrepreneurs on a budget.
Wondering where and how to buy a shipping container in the U.S. to convert it into a restaurant, café, snack bar, or coffee shop? Pelican Containers will come to your aid. Not only do we sell containers of different sizes to match varying customer needs, but we also offer primary modifications to make the container fit for a future restaurant space. Create the most famous restaurant made of shipping containers in the US with our help!
Shipping Container Cafe | Used Container Hotels, Restaurants - Pelican Containers
The trend of constructing hotels and restaurants out of repurposed shipping containers has caught the fancy of many. So much so that, you can find at least one such construction in every major American city. And why not? These are eco-friendly, cost-effective, modular, and insanely attractive.
FAQ
What is the best shipping container restaurant design?
The best design is the one you can fashion quickly and that will look smooth and seamless. Shipping containers best work for urban, modern, high-tech, and industrial styles. At the same time, they naturally fit into fusion designs too. Thus, you can use classic or retro elements to offset the steel roughness.
How much does a shipping container restaurant cost?
The price will vary depending on the container size, refurbishing needed, and design you choose. The final price will be near $200,000, or between $400 and $700 per sq.m. There are options for both a low-budget restaurant and a chic one.
How can I get a shipping container restaurant?
You can either purchase a container and build your own restaurant from scratch, or rent a ready-made diner space in a shipping container food court to try yourself in this business.