12 Times Restaurant Chains Bet On Nostalgia To Lure Customers

Nostalgia, that longing for what was and the happy memories we associate with it, may seem particularly keen when our daily lives — both personally and in the wider world — are less than ideal. Indeed, according to a 2025 study by CivicScience, more than 60% of Americans feel nostalgic for the past. Furthermore, the same study also found that nearly half of adults in the U.S. would spend money on something that conjures up feelings of nostalgia. Enter: Restaurant chains.

In recent years, companies such as Starbucks, Red Lobster, McDonald's, and Wendy's have been relying on widespread feelings of nostalgia to bring in customers. Plenty have revived old commercials, while others have brought back popular menu items. Some have even revamped actual locations so they look and feel more like restaurants of days gone by. Tapping into blissful memories can be a real money maker, and here are some of the occasions when restaurant chains bet on nostalgia to lure in customers.

Even if you weren't a religious viewer of "Friends," you're likely aware of Central Perk. The coffee shop served as the main meeting place of the six main characters, and some even consider the beloved manager, Gunther, to be the seventh "Friend" of the 1990s hit sitcom. Arguably, Central Perk itself was the eighth. Starbucks knows that many people feel incredibly nostalgic about the coffee shop culture that was so central to the plot of "Friends," which is why, in July 2025, the coffee giant revealed plans to bring back warm, comforting coffee shops.

Starting in New York and California, Starbucks said these revamped locations will include comfortable couches and plenty of space to hang out and chat, just like Monica, Rachel, Ross, Joey, and Phoebe. This cozy vibe is, after all, what Starbucks was built on. Former CEO Howard Schultz would often speak about the idea of the "third place," which comes from the 1989 book "The Great Good Place," and refers to the need for a space for people to gather and connect away from home or work.

In 2025, after a long period of emphasis on grab-and-go and digitization, CEO Brian Niccol championed the "third place" concept once again. With the coffee chain facing a major $1 billion restructuring, the hope is that bringing back the old ethos will win over younger generations and encourage people to stay inside the coffee shops longer.

"Friends" was all over the TV in the 1990s, sure. But the radio? That was being dominated by the boy bands of the moment, and one of the most famous was NSYNC. Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, and Joey Fatone were all over the airwaves with hits like "Bye Bye Bye" and "It's Gonna Be Me" in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

So, in May 2025, when Red Lobster decided to run a $19.99 three-course shrimp deal, the marketing team decided the most savvy way to promote it was by bagging a 1999 boy band legend. They booked Fatone, who starred in the commercial alongside actress Kayden Tokarski, who plays his niece. In the ad, he refers to himself as a "big deal" in 1999, after Tokarsk raves about the quality of the $19.99 deal.

Fatone wasn't the only part of the commercial that brought up feelings of nostalgia. Red Lobster offered several shrimp deals throughout the 1990s, and people now look back on those deals with fondness. This was especially the case after Red Lobster's CEO, Damola Adamolekun, stated that Red Lobster's Ultimate Endless shrimp would never be coming back after one disastrous deal helped bring the chain to the brink of financial ruin.

One restaurant chain that has long understood the power and influence of a boy band is Chili's. Back in the early 2000s, NSYNC recorded a version of its famous "I want my baby back ribs" jingle and starred in multiple commercials to promote the chain. The jingle wasn't exclusive to NSYNC; it was introduced in the 1990s and was a key feature of many of the chain's iconic ads in that decade and beyond.

In 2023, Chili's brought the famous jingle back yet again, but this time it upped the nostalgia dose with the help of a different 1990s boy band: Boyz II Men. The R&B group has long been associated with the song since its release coincided with the band's own hit album, "Evolution." For years, the similar vocal styles led people to mistakenly believe that Boyz II Men were behind the original "I want my baby back ribs" tune.

But, in a win for Chili's and Boyz II Men fans everywhere, not only did Boyz II Men appear in a commercial for the chain in 2023, it also recorded a new version of the jingle.

The most famous McDonald's mascot is Ronald McDonald, but the iconic McDonaldland character doesn't act alone. He actually has his own gang, including Mayor McCheese, Grimace, and the Hamburglar.

The Hamburglar made his debut in the 1970s and went on to star in many beloved commercials over the decades. In a 1986 ad, for example, he invades and kidnaps a class of "McDonald's University" student hamburgers (being taught by Ronald McDonald, of course). In another 1994 commercial, he pops up from a couch, steals McDonald's cheeseburgers from a child, and tries to evade capture by Ronald McDonald. You get the gist: The Hamburglar is lovable, naughty, and always focused on stealing burgers.

In the years since those ads, the Hamburglar has popped up a few times to remind people of his existence. In 2024, the fast-food giant brought him back for an ad where he's seen driving a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda (or Burgercuda), filled with stolen McDonald's burgers. The campaign was accompanied by a real-life Burgercuda car, which fans were encouraged to spot for a chance at a prize.

Over the years, Taco Bell has released many beloved menu items, and some have become consistent best-sellers, such as the Crunchwrap Supreme and the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. However, fans of the chain still can't let go of the Volcano Menu, which was first offered back in the 1990s. The menu basically featured ultra-spicy versions of the chain's regular items (like tacos and burritos), but it was a serious hit. Even now, people on social media regularly reminisce over it.

In 2023, Taco Bell decided to give the people what they wanted, but only for a limited time. The fast-food giant teamed up with Paris Hilton to promote Taco Bell's brief revival of the Volcano Menu, which included fan favorites like the Volcano Taco and Lava Sauce. Hilton was a perfect choice, not just for the nostalgia she brings thanks to her own aughts icon status, but also because of her famous catchphrase "That's hot." Sadly though, despite consumer demand, the Volcano Menu hasn't made a return since.

Back in the 1970s, Burger King released its first "Have It Your Way" commercials. The aim was to differentiate itself from its biggest competitor, McDonald's, which didn't allow customers to customize their orders. Despite the slogan becoming synonymous with Burger King, the fast-food giant didn't actually use it much in later years. It then reappeared in the 1990s and the 2000s, and became nostalgic for a new generation.

In 2022, the burger giant released a new jingle with a new tagline: "You Rule." But the new commercial still saw Burger King give a generous nod to the iconic "Have It Your Way" slogan, which was repeated several times in the song. In 2024, the "Have It Your Way" theme returned.

That time, Burger King played into nostalgia around the slogan with a new contest, called the "Million Dollar Whopper." It encouraged customers to submit their Whopper ingredient ideas for a chance at winning $1 million. In the press release for the contest, Pat O'Toole, Chief Marketing Officer, referenced the old ads, saying: "Burger King is all about Having It Your Way, and this contest is a true embodiment of that."

Adults of all ages feel nostalgia for McDonald's Halloween Boo Buckets, which were first introduced in the 1980s and retired in 2016. This makes them a fun childhood memory for Gen Xers, millennials, and Gen Zers alike, as well as maybe even some of the oldest Gen Alphas, at least as of 2025.

The first Boo Buckets, available with McDonald's Happy Meals in 1987, were inspired by jack-o'-lanterns. There were three designs — McBoo, McPunk'n, and McGoblin — and they all had a different "carved" expression. The theme stayed the same in the years that followed, although McDonald's did start to experiment with ghostly and witchy designs, too.

In 2022, after a long sleep, McDonald's decided it was time for the Boo Buckets to come back again. They have made a consistent return every fall since, much to the delight of social media users. For some, they have now even turned into a collectible item, and are recycled every year as a festive, spooky Halloween decoration.

In 1984, Wendy's made history when its "Where's the Beef?" commercial aired for the first time. With a not-so-thinly veiled jab at competitors Burger King and McDonald's, the ad sees three elderly ladies gather around a giant bun with a very small burger inside. One of the ladies, Clara Peller, asks, "Where's the Beef?" and an icon was born.

The voiceover in the commercial then goes on to promise that Wendy's burgers are far beefier than at other fast-food chains. It was a huge success: The ad helped Wendy's increase its annual revenue by more than 30%. It also inspired a sequel that was released the same year, which featured the same ladies driving around looking for the beef.

Given the success, it's not surprising that Wendy's has thrown back to the slogan in multiple commercials since. In 2023, it nodded to the famous line in another commercial with NBA athlete Reggie Miller, who shouts slogans like "There's the Beef" and "Squares the Beef." In 2024, it also celebrated the success of the original commercial by re-releasing it on its 40th anniversary.

McDonald's isn't the only fast-food chain that came up with sneaky villain characters to promote its food. In the 1980s and 1990s, Domino's released several commercials with the Noid, a claymation of a sneaky red bunny man who wanted to disrupt the chain's speedy pizza delivery service.

For most, the Noid was harmless fun. But for one man, named Kenneth Lamar Noid, the marketing campaign was a major source of torment. Noid became increasingly paranoid that the fictional character was mocking him, and he even ended up taking some Domino's employees hostage as a result. Tragically, Noid, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity, died by suicide in 1995, and Domino's pulled the Noid commercials from the air.

In 2021, though, the pizza chain deemed enough time had passed since the tragic incident, and decided it was time to bring the Noid back again. This time, the character could be seen battling against one of Domino's autonomous delivery vehicles. Many people were thrilled to see the return of one of their favorite characters from the 1980s and 1990s. In fact, many are urging Domino's to bring him back once again.

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For many people, KFC has become synonymous with the holiday season. In Japan, for example, it has become tradition to celebrate Christmas with a bucket of fried chicken from the fast-food chain. In the U.S., its holiday commercials have also become iconic, alongside its signature festive bucket designs.

KFC first started offering special fried chicken buckets with festive designs in the 1960s, and they became a family favorite in the decades that followed. In 2020, to bring people more of that nostalgic feeling, the fast-food giant decided it was time to revive two of its old bucket designs from the 1960s and 1970s. 

One of the bucket designs, originally released in 1966, also featured the words: "North America's Hospitality Dish." The use of the slogan tapped into nostalgia, as it was one of KFC's iconic taglines from past campaigns. However, it ended up being overshadowed by the now far more famous catchphrase, "It's finger-lickin' good."

Nope, the Spongmonkeys were not a fever dream; they really did happen. Back in 2004, Quiznos decided to adopt the odd, rodent-like creatures, which were first featured in a viral video created by animator Joel Veitch, as unlikely ambassadors. "We love the subs ..." the odd little animals sang off-key in a Quiznos ad, "... because they are good to us."

Sadly for the Spongmonkeys, they were not universally loved, and that's putting it lightly. When they were retired from Quiznos commercials in 2005, many hoped it would be forever. But time makes the heart grow fonder, and there's no doubt that the Spongmonkeys are a source of nostalgia for many people. In 2023, the Quiznos team decided it was time for the creatures to have their moment in the spotlight again. They came back in another commercial, with a new song (to the same melody), depicted on a road trip to find their beloved Quiznos.

The 2023 campaign was part of a mission to revive Quiznos after it was forced to close more than 4,000 locations. The sandwich chain still hasn't given up hope, and in August 2025, it appointed a new CEO.

For many Americans who grew up in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, a trip to Pizza Hut was the ultimate treat. The red roof, the famous Pizza Hut buffet, the unlimited ice cream, and the cheap, tasty pizza; it was all part of the formula for a fun, family night out. Over the years, though, delivery pizza became more popular, and the chain was forced to modernize. At the same time, many felt it lost some of what made it special.

Pizza Hut is still modernizing. In 2024, it unveiled new restaurant designs, complete with open kitchens and kiosks for ordering pizza to go. But at the same time, the chain is still trying to recapture some of what made it the go-to destination for families in the second half of the 20th century. To do that, it has started turning some of its locations into Pizza Hut Classics.

The chain hasn't made a big deal about the move, but customers have noticed that some Pizza Hut restaurants have more of a retro look and feel, complete with a red roof, an old 1970s logo, a salad bar, red cups, and a jukebox. Each Classic restaurant also has a plaque with a quote from the founder, Dan Carney, explaining that the locations are there to honor Pizza Hut's heritage. "Nostalgia bait works," one Reddit user said about one of the Classic restaurants. "I would go to this Pizza Hut all the time if it was in my area."