Text by Cheryl Teo @ Makansutra
Image courtesy of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Mama always said, life is like a box of chocolate, you’ll never know what you are going to get.
These were the famous words from the one-hit wonder, Forrest Gump in 1994. The other highlight of the movie was, Bubba Gump Shrimp & Co, a shrimping company that grew into a huge success.
Inspired by the movie, Bubba Gump Shrimp & Co did materialise in California in 1996. Opened by Viacom Consumer Products – owner of Paramount Pictures (distributer of Forrest Gump) – it is a chain of seafood restaurants, which serves an award-winning Dixie-style Baby Back Ribs, go figure.
Bubba Gump’s outlets are mostly found in the US, Japan and Mexico. Its Asia outlets are in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Hong Kong. The menu consists of mainly shrimp dishes of course, but it also has Southern and Cajun cuisine as the main character, Forrest is from inland Alabama while Bubba is from the Gulf Coast of Alabama.
To get a waitress’ attention, you have to hold up a ‘Stop, Forrest, Stop’ sign, and there’s also a market for you to grab a souvenir or two. You will find various merchandise – from golf balls to logo sunglasses, and of course, boxes of chocolates.
