The Menu is a dark and suspenseful tale of a bunch of rich people who embark on a luxury fine dining experience. This initially harmless premise gone wrong is a trope that remains interesting over the years, and why we have brought you a list of 12 movies like The Menu. This dinner is hosted at a very expensive and isolated restaurant called Hawthorne, which itself is located on a remote island.
Guests at the dinner are taken through a series of courses, bookended by that become increasingly unsettling as the evening continues. It starts to become clear that Slowik’s intentions are quite sinister as more secrets about each of the guests get revealed. Movies like The Menu are a satirical depiction of class warfare, social commentary and humor that will either make your appetite shrivel or make you more thankful for the food on your plate. For fans looking for such movies, have a look at this list of 12 movies like The Menu below.
List of Movies like The Menu
1. Get Out (2017)
Now that Chris Washington and his girlfriend, Rose Armitage, have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of their relationship, she invites him for a weekend getaway to her family house. Similar to movies like The Menu, this film is a perfect example of guests put in life threatening situations.
At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behaviour as nervous attempts to deal with their interracial relationship but as the weekend progresses, it turns into something much more sinister. The film touches upon themes of racism, privilege, and the exploitation of black bodies, making it a provocative commentary on the current political and social climate. Get Out has been widely acclaimed and a standout cultural moment and horror of the modern era.
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2. The Platform (2019)
This is a culinary-centered horror thriller as seen in movies like The Menu. This film, directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, takes place in a vertical prison where prisoners are fed via a platform that descends from the top to the bottom delivering food to each floor. The higher the floor, the better the food, so the prisoners on the lower floors have to struggle to get enough to eat.
As the platform descends, food becomes increasingly scarce and the prisoners on each floor grow more desperate and violent in their attempts to get enough to eat. This leads to conflict and violence among the prisoners as they compete for resources. The Platform delves into themes of social inequality, class struggle, and the effects of unequal distribution of resources. The story raises thought-provoking questions about human nature and the lengths people will go to survive in extreme circumstances.
3. Triangle of Sadness (2022)
If there was ever a movie that gave ‘eat the rich’ vibes as seen in movies like The Menu, then Triangle of Sadness is definitely one. The story is about a group of luxury cruise passengers who survive a pirate attack and manage to escape to an island. Marooned, the characters face physical and emotional challenges as they try their best to adapt to their new reality.
The film also touches on themes of power, survival, class, gender, and privilege, as the characters are forced to confront their own biases and preconceptions in the face of adversity. Ultimately, the film is a thought-provoking examination of the human condition and our innate ability to adapt and survive.
4. Boiling Point (2021)
Boiling Point is a film set in a hectic London restaurant called “Jones & Sons.” It follows the events of a busy night on the weekend before Christmas, as the restaurant is overbooked. The main character, head chef Andy Jones, is grappling with personal problems and the challenges of running a busy establishment.
The film is shot in a single-take style and provides an in-depth look at the characters’ personal lives and the difficulties they face while working in the high-stakes restaurant industry. Overall, movies like The Menu and Boiling Point highlight the challenges and hardships faced by those working in the food service industry.
5. Fresh (2022)
Fresh, is about Noa who falls into the clutches of a man named Steve. Exhausted by even the thought of using a dating app again, let alone going on another dull date. What starts as a cute first encounter at a grocery store soon turns out to be her worst nightmare.
While Fresh is more ‘just eat people’ than ‘eat the rich’ compared to movies like The Menu, the horrors of modern dating are seen through the eyes of a young woman who must rely on her wits, and the help of her friend Mollie to escape from her new boyfriend. One of the best horror movies in 2022, Fresh is for the horror fan who has seen everything and doesn’t think that they can be surprised.
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6. Ready or Not (2019)
In movies like The Menu, wealthy families are synonymous with problems and marrying into one is no exception as Grace soon finds out. Ready or Not is a dark comedy/horror movie about a young woman named Grace, played by Samara Weaving, who marries into a wealthy and eccentric family. On her wedding night, Grace learns that the family has a dark and twisted tradition in which they play a deadly game of hide-and-seek with the newest member of their family.
The movie creates a confusing atmosphere right away since Grace doesn’t know if she can even trust her new husband. Ready Or Not will appeal to fans of The Menu as both films feature characters who are brought somewhere strange all because of the person whom they love. In both cases, a regular dinner or wedding turns into something worse than the main characters could ever have imagined.
7. The Feast (2021)
Similar to movies like The Menu, The Feast is a film about a dinner party gone wrong. One of the best horror movies of 2021 that didn’t get the attention that it deserved. Set in Wales, the film follows a wealthy family who hosts a dinner party at their estate in the Welsh mountains.
The Feast is as surprising as The Menu and has an extremely dark ending as the characters are not who they seem to be. The movie itself is set in a beautiful area and the characters will haunt audiences after they have finished watching. This movie will particularly appeal to horror fans who want a film with an ending that they absolutely won’t guess.
8. You’re Next (2011)
As with movies like The Menu, the main characters assume that they’re going to have a fun gathering. In You’re Next, the Davison family gathers at their isolated vacation home for a reunion, but their celebration is cut short when a group of masked attackers break in and begin a killing spree. As the family members are picked off one by one, they soon realize that one of their own, Erin, has a secret past and skills that make her the only hope for survival.
The film is a fast-paced, bloody thriller that blends traditional horror with unexpected twists and turns proving that in the horror genre, even a family gathering can lead to a terrifying battle for survival. The movie has everything that slasher fans look for, and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
9. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022)
Nothing is more fragile than a group of best friends who pretend to like one another, even more so when one of them ends up dead. A fresh take on friends partying in a house in the country, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a party game horror that examines whether a social group even really likes each other.
As one person dies and they scramble to figure out who did it, the characters are plunged into a night of backstabbings, escalating paranoia and violence. Similar to other gathering-gone-wrong movies like The Menu, Bodies Bodies Bodies turns a regular party into a fight to survive. Both movies maintain a sense of humor and have a lot to say about people with money and privilege.
10. The Invitation (2022)
As it is in movies like The Menu, The Invitation asks what a young woman would do if she found herself in a more dangerous situation than she could have ever anticipated. Lauded as one of the best 2022 horror movies, this is a story about a woman named Evie, who finds out she has a second cousin named Oliver through a DNA testing website. Oliver is from England and Evie is invited for a wedding which doubles as a chance to meet a family she never knew about.
Throughout the story, Evie experiences strange occurrences in the mansion and begins to uncover dark secrets about the family’s past. As she delves deeper, she realizes that she may have made a fatal mistake by accepting the invitation and could very much well be in grave danger.
11. Silent Night (2021)
Both a compelling horror film about a gathering similar to movies like The Menu and a sadder than most look at a family celebrating Christmas, Silent Night revolves around a married couple, Nell and Simon, who host a yearly Christmas dinner for their former school friends and their spouses. However, this Christmas is special because of an impending environmental disaster that is about to hit Britain and the government has issued suicide pills for a quick death.
Silent Night imagines a world on the verge of ending, and characters who have accepted their fate, and gather around to say goodbye to each other. A deadly gas attack has hit England, which sets up a tense and chilling environment. Watching the family try their best to deal with impending deaths is quite moving.
12. All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)
Several slasher movies like The Menu are about parties, fame, and the social hierarchy present in high school. All The Boys Love Mandy Lane sees the titular character, a shy and attractive girl named Mandy Lane going to a pool party on a remote ranch. At first, the party is a success, but as the weekend goes on, the group begins to die one by one.
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane has a twist ending and the characters have no idea what is really going on, just like Margot attending a fancy restaurant meal in The Menu. With countless films that have the same cliches and that wrap up in a similar way, it’s nice to see a film that takes another approach.
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Honourable Mentions
Some extra helpings of movies like The Menu that didn’t make the list, but you might enjoy nonetheless:
1. Would You Rather
2. Parasite
3. We Are What We Are
4. Midsommar
5. Sorry To Bother You