Get Treated Like a Convict and Be Served by One

WHAT IT IS?

At The Clink in Cardiff, dining out feels more like checking in. To enter, you go through an X-ray, get searched, fingerprinted, and must leave behind your cash, phone, camera and even your SIM card. Once inside, your “cellmates” who also happen to be your servers, are real convicts.

This isn’t a themed restaurant. It’s inside a real prison.
The main purpose of the restaurant? To give convicts a safe path to social reintegration. They train to become chefs, waiters, and baristas, earning real certifications and learning how to interact with the outside world again.

The concept was created by The Clink Charity, a UK non-profit that turns prisons into professional hospitality schools. The program is running in London.

WHY IT´S COOL?

  • You’re eating inside a real prison with real convicts next to you, something you (hopefully) won’t do again.
  • You get the full “convict experience”, searched and fingerprinted at the door. Which gives you adrenaline a full experience.
  • You’re served by convicts who are actively rebuilding their lives.
  • The vibe is formal and polished, but with a powerful social undertone.
  • You leave full but also reflective. You realize how important laws are… and why you don’t want to end up behind those walls.
  • You’re giving someone a second chance just by dining there and supporting the program.

WHY IT HAS FUTURE GROWTH POTENTIAL?

Because it actually works.

  • 65% of convicts who complete the training get jobs in hospitality after release.
  • It’s received major recognition from awards to high OFSTED ratings and glowing TripAdvisor reviews.

It’s not just dinner.
It’s adrenaline on a plate.

https://www.eatout.co.za/article/10-weirdest-restaurants-world

https://theclinkcharity.org/h

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  1. Hi Paola! I think you chose a really interesting topic! I would have liked to see more numbers regarding London people’s acceptance of this project, that would really help me feel that it really has strong future growth potential in the UK.
    PS: I also really liked your cover picture!
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  2. How cool is this "Seed"?

    Does it have future growth potential?

    Paolo. To be honest, my first reaction was “another prison rebuilt like a hotel. I’ve seen that. Not really WOW any more”. But this is different and much better with a fresh cool angle! Served in a goal by the convicts! WOW, this is new & fresh, exactly how a good blog should be!. And about purpose, meaningfulness, inclusivity, New Hotel Concepts. Please, continue on this level of surprise. Also, well-documented. Carl
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  3. How cool is this "Seed"?

    Does it have future growth potential?

    Hi Paola, Wow, I had never heard of this experience! Honestly I find it super creative and at the same time a bit creepy, which immediately made me think of the kind of experience economy that Carl mentioned in class “The risk economy experience”.
    I also think you explained everything very clearly, your text is well structured, avoiding long paragraphs, and you included the right amount of detail to make the concept easy to understand.
    Congratulations on your blog ands on your Cool-hunt!
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  4. I was really impressed with your blog because I had never heard about this concept before – so it gave me a real WOW factor. You explained everything very clearly and the structure makes it easy to follow. I especially liked how you connected the experience with social reintegration; that makes it not just entertaining but meaningful. If I can add a small suggestion: maybe you could give one concrete example of how the customer journey looks step by step (from the security check to the dinner). That would make readers feel even more immersed in the experience. Anyways, I love it!
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  5. How cool is this "Seed"?

    Does it have future growth potential?

    Paola, I think you really outdone yourself with this post! It is a really unique experience to be served by actually convicts of the prison!
    To me it feels like this experience would be a mix of a risk experience and a do it yourself experience, as you are the one who is going to the prison to experience being served by convicts.
    I also find that your writing was very easy to read and the typical example of short and smart. Great work 🙂
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