FOOD + DRINK RESTAURANTS

Muvbox Pop-Up Diner Concept

muvbox popup diner concept

We have seen a few European examples of portable restaurants established in shipping containers from a promotional campaigns. Architects assembled containers into houses for years. This year, restauranteur Daniel Noiseux revamped the trailer diner concept.

The first Muxbox fast-food restaurant unit sits in the Old Port of Montreal for the summer season. They will close soon. My husband and I had dinner there last weekend. Muvbox is a wonderful and well-thought fast-food restaurant concept. We were impressed by how much you could accomplish with a small space. Muvbox is more than a pretty face. It is an efficient place to serve and eat food. We examined the staff preparing the food and watched them close the restaurant at the end of the day. It is a smooth operation.

The Design

From a closed box, Muvbox transforms into a chic fast-food restaurant in 90 seconds. The panels go up and down at a touch of a bouton. The side panels become the floor when they are down. The two patios are big enough for 28 patrons spread between the standing bar tables and the bistro tables with benches and chairs.

muvbox fast-food restaurant in a recycled shipping container with solar panels

The eco-friendly actions did not stop at reclaiming an old shipping container. The floor is made from recycled tires. The solar panels supply up to 40% of the energy. The fact that you can relocate the restaurant anywhere and easily adapt it for another restaurant concept increases the usable life of each unit.

The Food

muvbox seating area and lobster-based menu

Muvbox operates its own high-end fast-food restaurant in the Old Port of Montreal all summer. You still have a couple weeks left to savor their clam chowder, lobster rolls and seafood pizza made in a wood-fired pizza oven.

If you are interested to start your own restaurant, one Muvbox unit costs $150,000 USD. The container can be branded to fit each restaurant concept. Sid Lee Architecture did the visuals. Watch this video to see Muvbox in action.

I took more photos. Look at the gallery by clicking on a picture.

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+ Muvbox Concept

  • wakooz
    September 9, 2009 at 13:21

    Cool idea via @KimVallee http://bit.ly/faHnp

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

  • Wakooz_RSS
    September 9, 2009 at 13:21

    Cool idea http://bit.ly/faHnp

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

  • Wakooz_RSSfeeds
    September 9, 2009 at 13:21

    Cool idea http://bit.ly/faHnp

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

    • At Home with Kim Vallee
      September 9, 2009 at 21:53

      I was looking for that particular picture of the Illy cafe. I remembered that it was in 2007.

  • DosPapasFritas
    September 9, 2009 at 19:40

    Muvbox Pop-Up Diner Concept | At Home with Kim Vallee http://tinyurl.com/l69xb8

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

  • Badabababaa
    September 9, 2009 at 22:02

    Muvbox Pop-Up Diner Concept | At Home with Kim Vallee: The first Muxbox fast-food restaurant unit sits in the Ol.. http://bit.ly/28LN4g

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter