DANS LE NOIR LIMITED
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED operates the London flagship of the international 'Dans le Noir?' restaurant group, offering surprise-menu dining in complete darkness guided by visually impaired hosts. It serves couples, corporate clients, tourists, and special-occasion diners at its Farringdon location, with ancillary gift cards, perfume, and B2B experiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What DANS LE NOIR LIMITED does
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED is the UK-incorporated entity operating the London branch of the international 'Dans le Noir?' dark-dining restaurant group. The London flagship, located at 69-73 St John Street in Farringdon, has been in continuous operation since 2006 and offers a surprise menu (2-course, 3-course, or Chef's 4-course ranging from £58 to £105 per person) served in complete darkness and guided by visually impaired hosts. The company employs 5 corporate staff and 10-12 visually impaired guide-waiters at the London location, with approximately 100 visually impaired staff across the group's 17 global restaurants. The core technology is a proprietary operational protocol — pitch-black dining room, safety systems, and trained visually impaired guides — developed over more than two decades to enable service without visual cues.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with reservations and walk-ins, complemented by an e-commerce channel for gift vouchers (£50, £75, £100 denominations and bundled experience packages up to £279) and a standalone perfume product line ('Eau de Parfum de Nuit' in 30ml and 100ml formats). Revenue is diversified across restaurant dining, gift cards, sensory workshops (wine and perfume), and a growing B2B corporate vertical offering team building, seminars, sensory marketing, and off-premise activations. Customer segments span couples, special-occasion groups, solo diners, tourists, and corporate clients, with no single customer or segment dominating. Celebrity and media exposure (including the 2013 Richard Curtis film 'About Time') and over 3 million guests served worldwide since 2004 underscore brand recognition, though financial performance is not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held, founder-operated, with no known venture capital or private equity backing.
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DANS LE NOIR LIMITED
- Legal name
- DANS LE NOIR LIMITED
- Website
- https://london.danslenoir.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- DANS LE NOIR LIMITED operates the London flagship of the international 'Dans le Noir?' restaurant group, offering surprise-menu dining in complete darkness guided by visually impaired hosts. It serves couples, corporate clients, tourists, and special-occasion diners at its Farringdon location, with ancillary gift cards, perfume, and B2B experiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experiential Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH), Exclusive Dining Access & Chef’s Table Reservations (HSACAMAJ)
Keywords
Where DANS LE NOIR LIMITED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining: Revenue from surprise menu dining experiences in total darkness. Guests pay per person for 2-course, 3-course, or Chef's menu options with optional wine pairings.
- Gift Cards and Vouchers: Digital gift vouchers and e-cards sold online in various denominations (£50, £75, £100) and specific experience packages (2-course, 3-course, Chef's menu). Valid for 12 months.
- Perfume Products: Sale of 'Eau de Parfum de Nuit' fragrance in 30ml and 100ml formats, developed with visually impaired sensory experts. Collected on-site during restaurant experience.
- Corporate Events and Team Building: B2B offerings including private events, team lunches/dinners, sensory team building activities, seminars, and corporate packages
- Sensory Workshops: Wine tasting workshops and perfume workshops conducted in total darkness, offered as standalone experiences or bundled with dining
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2-Course Menu - Starter and Main |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2-Course Menu with Wine |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Course Menu |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Course Menu with Wine |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chef's Menu - 4 Courses |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Gift Vouchers - Value Cards |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Gift Vouchers - Experience Packages |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Eau de Parfum de Nuit |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED operates a sensory dining restaurant in London under the "Dans le Noir?" brand, where guests eat a surprise menu in complete darkness guided by visually impaired hosts. The core offering is combined with add-on sensory workshops (wine tasting, perfume workshops), a signature fragrance product (Eau de Parfum de Nuit), gift voucher packages, and B2B corporate events for team building and sensory marketing.
Product overview
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED operates a chain of sensory restaurants under the 'Dans le Noir?' brand, offering dining experiences in complete darkness guided by visually impaired hosts. The core product is the immersive dining experience featuring surprise menus (2-course, 3-course, and Chef's 4-course options) that guests discover only after the meal. The company extends its sensory concept through related offerings: wine tasting and perfume workshops conducted in total darkness, signature fragrance products (Eau de Parfum de Nuit in 30ml and 100ml formats), and combined experience gift packages (Twofold, Essence & Flavours, Gourmet & Fragrant). B2B corporate services include team building, seminars, and sensory marketing experiences, while private event hosting covers celebrations from birthdays to holidays. The portfolio is unified by the brand's focus on sensory immersion and inclusion, with the restaurant experience serving as the anchor around which workshops, products, and events are positioned.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dans le Noir? Dining Experience A unique dining experience where guests enjoy a surprise menu in complete darkness, guided by visually impaired hosts. The experience emphasizes sensory discovery, human connection, and inclusion. Available in 2-course, 3-course, and Chef's 4-course formats with optional wine pairings.
- Gift Cards and Vouchers Digital gift vouchers available in various denominations (£50, £75, £100) and pre-set menu packages (2-course, 3-course, Chef's menu), valid for 12 months from purchase.
- Wine Tasting Workshop An immersive blind wine tasting workshop conducted in complete darkness, guided by sensory experts. Targeted at wine lovers ranging from beginners to sommeliers.
- Perfume Workshop An innovative olfactory journey in complete darkness at the Sensory Space. Smell becomes the focal point, reconnecting participants with deep emotions and memories.
- Eau de Parfum de Nuit A signature fragrance created with perfumer Suzy Le Helley of Symrise and visually impaired sensory experts. Available in 30ml (£57) and 100ml (£139) formats. Features notes of sandalwood, tonka bean, mineral musks, ambergris, and vanilla.
- B2B Corporate Experiences Corporate team building, seminars, and sensory marketing experiences including team lunches/dinners, awareness workshops, product launches, sensory expertise sessions, and immersive conferences.
- Private Events Event hosting for celebrations including birthdays, marriage proposals, blind dates, anniversaries, farewells, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and holiday events (Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Halloween).
- Twofold Experience Package Combines a Fragrance Discovery Workshop with a Three-Course Meal for Two. Includes reservation and is valid for one year. Priced at £156.
- Essence & Flavours Package Three-course meal with a glass of surprise wine for two plus a 100ml bottle of Eau de Parfum de Nuit fragrance. Priced at £279.
- Gourmet & Fragrant Package Three-course meal plus a glass of surprise wine for two, combined with a 30ml bottle of Eau de Parfum de Nuit fragrance. Priced at £205.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3 million guests served since 2004 with no major accidents
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use DANS LE NOIR LIMITED
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- La Bonne AgenceminorFrench web agency based in Grenoble responsible for website design, hosting, and production. Contact: 8 rue Jean Prévost, 38000 Grenoble, France. RCS: 419 453 824.
- Ethik ConnectionminorReferenced as a linked partner organization on the Dans le Noir website footer
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fat Duck Group (Heston Blumenthal): Heston Blumenthal's group including The Fat Duck, Dinner, and The Hinds Head. Comparable to Dans le Noir as a UK-based multi-sensory experimental fine-dining pioneer whose tasting menus use surprise, sound, and unusual formats to elevate the dining experience.
Direct peers
- Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet: Shanghai-based single-table immersive multi-sensory fine dining restaurant that pioneered combining food with synchronized sight, sound, and scent. Directly comparable to Dans le Noir's chef-curated sensory tasting menu model, with similar premium pricing and a per-cover experience economy positioning.
- Sketch (London): London experiential dining destination with multiple individually designed dining rooms (The Gallery, The Lecture Room, The Parlour). Comparable to Dans le Noir as a London-based premium experiential restaurant whose value proposition centers on atmosphere and design-led experience rather than just food.
- The Alchemist (UK): UK-based chain of experiential cocktail and molecular gastronomy venues with theatrical food and drink presentations. Comparable to Dans le Noir as a UK experiential dining brand using surprise, performance, and theatricality as core differentiation at premium price points.
- Alinea: Grant Achatz's Chicago immersive fine-dining restaurant famous for its 12-22 course tasting menu with theatrical, interactive, and surprise elements. Comparable to Dans le Noir as a multi-sensory tasting-menu destination with similar premium positioning and surprise-driven concept.
- Sublimotion: Paco Roncero's immersive dining experience in Ibiza that fuses haute cuisine with virtual reality, projection mapping, and sensory effects. Comparable to Dans le Noir as a high-end immersive experience restaurant charging a multi-hundred-euro per-person ticket for a single seated experience.
- Dans le Noir? Paris: The original Paris restaurant of the same Dans le Noir? brand and parent group. Comparable to DANS LE NOIR LIMITED as a sister-entity running the identical dark-dining concept under the same operating model and brand IP.
- Dinner in the Sky: Global experiential dining concept where guests are suspended by crane at altitude while eating. Comparable to Dans le Noir as a premium-priced experience-driven dining brand whose value is dominated by the novelty/thrill of the format rather than the food itself.
Emerging players
- Inception Group: London-based hospitality operator running themed, theatrical bars and restaurants (Mr Fogg's, Cuckoo Club, Barts). Comparable to Dans le Noir as a London experiential dining operator monetizing immersive concepts and offering private event/team building packages.
Others
- Escape rooms / immersive experience venues (e.g., HintHunt): Panic and HintHunt operate London immersive entertainment venues targeting similar team-building, celebration, and tourist segments. Comparable to Dans le Noir as adjacent experiential venues competing for the same London corporate team-building and special-occasion wallet.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED social profiles
Digital presenceDANS LE NOIR LIMITED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DANS LE NOIR LIMITED
What does DANS LE NOIR LIMITED do?
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED operates a sensory dining restaurant in London under the "Dans le Noir?" brand, where guests eat a surprise menu in complete darkness guided by visually impaired hosts. The core offering is combined with add-on sensory workshops (wine tasting, perfume workshops), a signature fragrance product (Eau de Parfum de Nuit), gift voucher packages, and B2B corporate events for team building and sensory marketing.
Is DANS LE NOIR LIMITED a public or private company?
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was DANS LE NOIR LIMITED founded?
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is DANS LE NOIR LIMITED based?
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does DANS LE NOIR LIMITED make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining is the primary driver. The others are gift Cards and Vouchers, perfume Products, corporate Events and Team Building and sensory Workshops.
Who are DANS LE NOIR LIMITED's main competitors?
Fat Duck Group (Heston Blumenthal) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Sketch (London), The Alchemist (UK), Alinea, Sublimotion, Dans le Noir? Paris and Dinner in the Sky. Inception Group is listed as an emerging player. Escape rooms / immersive experience venues (e.g., HintHunt) is listed as an others.
Does DANS LE NOIR LIMITED have an API?
No public API is recorded for DANS LE NOIR LIMITED.
What industry is DANS LE NOIR LIMITED in?
DANS LE NOIR LIMITED's product category is Experiential Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAG, Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAJALAH, Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.