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{{About|Medieval-themed dinner theater|the historical time period|Middle Ages}}
{{short description|Family dinner theater}}
{{about|the medieval-themed dinner theater|the historical time period|Middle Ages}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
| name = Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
| logo =
| logo = Medieval Times 2021 logo.png
| image = Lyndhurst NJ Medieval Times exterior.jpg
| caption =
| image_size = 250px
| type =
| image_caption = Medieval Times building exterior in Lyndhurst, New Jersey
| traded_as =
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| fate =
| area_served = United States and Canada
| predecessor =
| industry = [[Entertainment industry|Entertainment]]
| successor =
| services = [[Dinner theater]]
| foundation = {{start date and age|1983|12|20}}<br>[[Kissimmee, Florida|Kissimmee]], [[Florida]], [[United States|US]]
| founded = {{start date and age|1983|12|20}} in [[Kissimmee, Florida|Kissimmee]], [[Florida]], US
| founder =
| location_city = [[Irving, Texas|Irving]], [[Texas]]
| defunct =
| location_country = U.S.
| location_city = [[Irving, Texas]]
| locations = 10
| location_country = United States
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.medievaltimes.com/}}
| locations = 9
| area_served = Florida, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Ontario, South Carolina, Maryland, Georgia
| key_people =
| industry = Dinner theater
| products =
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| aum = <!-- Only used with financial services companies -->
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees = 1,000+
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.medievaltimes.com}}
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
}}
[[File:Medieval Times Building.JPG|thumb|The Medieval Times building in [[Exhibition Place]], [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. The American locations however are all housed inside replica 11th-century castles.]]
[[File:Medieval Times Dinner Horses.jpg|thumb|The introduction of the [[knights]]]]


'''Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament''' is a family [[dinner theater]] featuring staged [[medieval]]-style games, [[sword-fighting]], and [[jousting]] performed by a cast of 75 actors and more than 20 horses in each location. Each location is housed in a replica 11th-century castle,<ref name=insiders>{{cite book|last=Duncan|first=Kimberly Allyson|title=Insiders' guide to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand|year=2008|publisher=Insiders' Guide|location=Guilford, CT|isbn=978-0-7627-4407-7|edition=9th|author2=Rentz, Lisa Tomer}}</ref> with the exception of the Toronto location, which is housed inside a [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux-Arts]] structure built in 1912. {{citation needed|date=November 2013}}
'''Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament''' is a family [[dinner theater]] featuring staged [[medieval]]-style games, [[sword-fighting]], and [[jousting]]. Medieval Times Entertainment, the [[holding company]], is headquartered in [[Irving, Texas|Irving]], [[Texas]].<ref>"{{cite web|url=http://www.medievaltimes.com/home.aspx?castlemap=yes |title=Castle Locations|website= Medieval Times Entertainment|access-date= July 30, 2019}}</ref>


There are ten locations: the nine in the United States are built as replica [[11th-century]] castles;<ref name=insiders>{{cite book|last=Duncan|first=Kimberly Allyson|title=Insiders' guide to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand|year=2008|publisher=Insiders' Guide|location=Guilford, CT|isbn=978-0-7627-4407-7|edition=9th|author2=Rentz, Lisa Tomer|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/insidersguidetom0000dunc_g2w6}}</ref> the tenth, in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada, is located inside the [[Government Building (Toronto)|CNE Government Building]].<ref name=star>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/08/07/how-medieval-times-survives-in-the-digital-age.html |title=How Medieval Times survives in the digital age (paper version headline: "All in a knight's work")|work=Toronto Star|author=Reynolds, Christopher |date= August 7, 2016| pages= B1–B3}}</ref>
The chain is located in [[Buena Park, California]]; [[Dallas, Texas]]; [[Schaumburg, Illinois]]; [[Lyndhurst, New Jersey]]; [[Hanover, Maryland]]; [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]]; [[Atlanta, Georgia]]; [[Orlando, Florida]] and [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], [[Canada]]. Medieval Times Entertainment, the holding company for the nine theaters, is headquartered in [[Irving, Texas]].<ref>"[http://www.medievaltimes.com/home.aspx?castlemap=yes Castle Locations]." Medieval Times Entertainment. Retrieved on April 29, 2010.</ref>


==History==
The chain was featured in the 1996 film ''[[The Cable Guy]]'',<ref>{{cite book|last=Ramey|first=Lynn T.|title=Race, class, and gender in "medieval" cinema|year=2007|pages=111}}</ref> and the 2004 feature film ''[[Garden State (film)|Garden State]]''. It has also been featured in episodes of TV shows such as ''[[Cake Boss]]'',<ref>"Tournament of Knights and a Tasty Tiramisu" ''[[Cake Boss]]'', [[TLC (TV channel)|TLC]], June 14, 2010</ref> ''[[Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series)|Hell's Kitchen]]''<ref>"15 Chefs Compete". ''[[Hell's Kitchen (U.S. season 9)|Hell's Kitchen]]'' episode 3. Season 9. July 25, 2011. [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]].</ref> and ''[[The Apprentice (U.S. season 12)|Celebrity Apprentice]]''.<ref>{{cite episode|series=[[The Apprentice (TV series)|The Celebrity Apprentice]]|title=Getting Medieval|season=[[The Apprentice (U.S. season 12)|12]]|number=2|network=[[NBC]]|airdate=February 26, 2012}}</ref>
[[File:Medieval Times Dinner Horses.jpg|thumb|The introduction of the knights, pictured in 2008.]]
[[File:MedievalTimesSchaumburg.jpg|thumb|Medieval Times in [[Schaumburg, Illinois]], displaying the [[coat of arms]] of [[Peralada]], [[Catalonia]], and the Viscounts Rocabertí, lords of Peralada Castle.<ref>{{cite web |title=Peralada |url=https://www.costabravaliving.net/peralada--k37885 |website=Costa Brava Living |access-date=25 November 2023}}</ref> Medieval Times founder Jose Montaner was uncle to the Count of Perelada, with the Count holding stock in the company until 2016.<ref name="Mashed">{{cite web |last1=Swierk |first1=Adam |title=The Untold Truth Of Medieval Times |url=https://www.mashed.com/882954/the-untold-truth-of-medieval-times/ |website=Mashed |date=June 2, 2022 |access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref>]]
[[File:Medieval Times Building.JPG|thumb|Medieval Times at [[Exhibition Place]] in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada]]
The history of [[jousting]] [[tournament]]s in the [[United States]] began in the [[colonial history of the United States|Colonial period]] and the [[Antebellum period]]. The first recorded jousting tournament in America was the [[Meschianza]], which was held in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] on 18 May 1778, during the [[American Revolutionary War]]. The event was organized by [[Major John André]], a Frenchman and officer in the [[British Army]], and [[Oliver De Lancey Jr.]], a general of [[French Huguenot]] descent, to honor [[General Howe|General William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe]], who was stepping down as commander of colonial British forces.<ref>Martin, p. 181.</ref> However, Americans were unimpressed; jousting would not become popular until the 1800s.<ref name="NJA 2">{{cite web |title=The Tournaments of Colonial Times |url=https://nationaljousting.com/history/colonial.htm |website=National Jousting Association |access-date=31 October 2023}}</ref>


The first jousting tournament recorded in the 19th century, listed as the "oldest continuously-held sporting event in North America", was first held at the Natural Chimneys in [[Mount Solon, Virginia]], in 1821. The tournament proved to be popular, becoming an annual event, and the [[joust]] is still held each year the third Saturday in August on the same grounds.<ref name="NJA">{{cite web |title=The Romantic Revival |url=https://nationaljousting.com/history/romantic.htm |website=National Jousting Association |access-date=31 October 2023}}</ref>
In April 1997, Medieval Times' owners sought [[bankruptcy]] protection after losing a court battle to the [[Internal Revenue Service]] that required the Buena Park location to pay $7.5 million and the Orlando location to pay $2.5 million in [[back taxes]]. According to the IRS, Medieval Times improperly deducted royalties, loan interest and management fees in the 1987 and 1989 tax years. When asked why the company was filing for bankruptcy the company’s bankruptcy lawyer, Alan Friedman, said, "one of the primary reasons for filing was to prevent the IRS from beginning to seize any assets."<ref>{{Cite news | last = James | first = Granelli | title = Medieval Times Owners File for Bankruptcy | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date = 1997-04-26 | url = http://articles.latimes.com/1997-04-26/business/fi-52496_1_medieval-times | accessdate = 2009-08-11 }}</ref>


William Gilmor, a wealthy descendant of Scottish-born immigrant Robert Gilmor (1748-1822) of [[Baltimore, Maryland]], organized the second official jousting tournament event on American soil at [[White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia|White Sulphur Springs]], now part of [[West Virginia (state)|West Virginia]], on 28 August 1841. Gilmor had come up with the idea after witnessing the popular, but ill-fated [[Eglinton Tournament]] in [[Scotland]] on 29 August 1839.<ref name=NJA></ref>
The shows change every three to five years, the most recent change being in October 2011, when Medieval Times began an update of its shows in the Dallas location, and soon spread to the other castles (see "North" Show). The music, recorded in [[Kiev, Ukraine]], mixes an orchestra and [[show choir]] with "[[electric guitar]]s and [[Rock music|rock]] [[percussion]]", with "a Russian feel". The score is the third to use Daniel May.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Palisin | first = Steve | title =
| newspaper = The Sun News | date = 2012-05-31 | url = http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2012/05/31/2855165/medieval-times-ready-to-roll-out.html
| accessdate = 2012-06-01 }}</ref>
A new show is in the making and expected to be released in the fall of 2016


After 1840, jousting tournaments became [[popular entertainment]] in every [[Southern United States|Southern state]] south of the [[Mason–Dixon line]]. During the [[American Civil War]] (12 April 1861 – 26 May 1865), tournaments were held less often, but still occasionally occurred, including one account of an Alabama [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] cavalry regiment holding one such event at their winter quarters along the [[Potomac River]]. According to one description of the event, "They rode in rags and barefoot, but with great enthusiasm." There was another famous jousting tournament held during the Civil War on the lawn at Monticello near [[Charlottesville, Virginia]] in the fall of 1863, where "Confederate soldiers and their ladies hosted a splendid tournament when the Yankees were bragging that even a crow couldn't fly across the valley without their consent".<ref name=NJA></ref>
== "North" Show (2012-present) ==
{{Overly detailed|date=August 2014|section=yes}}
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2014}}
Before the show itself begins, a disclaimer recording is played, warning guests that the show uses strobe effects and that smoking is not allowed in the castle. The show begins with the narration of the horse, followed by a single Andalusian stallion running in the arena ("Horse at Liberty"), guided by the master of horse. Afterwards, a light show occurs that sets the theme and also divides the two sides, the West side (Yellow, Black and White, Red) and the East side (Blue, Red and Yellow, Green). Lord Chancellor, adviser to the king and also serves as the MC for the show, comes out after the light show and introduces each of the knights of the realm as well as giving a back story to each color's section, which represents a different city in the kingdom. There is then the King's Procession, where the King Don Carlos, knights, squires, and various serfs and wenches come out, and the King orders everyone to serve well the guests. The King and Chancellor then make their way to the dais, where they introduce Princess Catalina and ask their guests for a toast.
The next section, Long Reins, or Long Lines, shows off the skills of the horses, which include the Trot in Place, the Passage, and the Capriot. Afterwards, the Royal Falconer comes out with a falcon, where he lets the bird fly around, often directly above the guest's heads. The feast is then served, which includes half a chicken ("baby dragon"), corn-on-the-cob, and a half of a potato (the bread and soup were served when guests enter the arena and the pastry is served later-a vegetarian meal is available as well). The King's guards then come out and display a number of choreographed maneuvers, much to the King's surprise (the Princess ordered the guards to perform at the tournament without telling the King). Afterwards, the Chancellor and the Princess read off names of those who decide to purchase an announcement along with their reasons for being here, which usually include birthdays or other special events. The tournament is interrupted when the Herald of the North, sent by his king Lord Ulrick, enters in with fog and haze filling the arena, who promises Don Carlos a gift if he is allowed to return to get it. Intrigued, Don Carlos allows him to, even at the warning of the Princess of the threat Lord Ulrick has posed on other kingdoms.


After the end of the Civil War in 1865, and into the early 20th century, jousting tournaments remained a popular pastime among Southerners and ex-Confederates, with some even referring to the [[joust]] as the "National Sport of the South".<ref name=NJA></ref> In 1962, [[jousting]] was designated as the official state sport of [[Maryland (state)|Maryland]], a Southern-adjacent state, by the [[Maryland General Assembly]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Md. Gen. Provis. § 7-329|url=http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmStatutesText.aspx?article=ggp&section=7-329&ext=html&session=2015RS&tab=subject5|website=Mgaleg.maryland.gov|accessdate=1 August 2018|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808035744/http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmStatutesText.aspx?article=ggp&section=7-329&ext=html&session=2015RS&tab=subject5}}</ref>
The tournament proceeds with the games, where the knights on horseback attempt to win at games such as large rings (the large rings come down from the ceiling and the knights have to get their lances into the rings while running), flags (knights have to pick up a flag from the ground and pass it back and forth to the opposite knight), Javelins (knights have to hit a target hanging below the dais), and small rings (similar to large rings except the rings are much smaller and they are to the side next to the Black and White or Red and Yellow sections rather than from the ceiling). After each game the knights who succeed go to the dais where the Princess will give flowers for the knights to throw to the ladies of their section. The princess then asks to have a contest in which she will sponsor the knights from the East, and the King accepts the challenge by sponsoring the knights from the West. The Chancellor sets up a relay, and the winning side celebrates with strobing lights. As the Chancellor announces the winning side, the princess or king, depending on which side won, says that all knights rode so skillfully that they can all come to the dais. The princess gives each knight a ribbon in which they are allowed to pick one lady that will serve as the "lady of the joust," or more commonly mentioned in the show as the "queens of the tournament"<ref>[http://www.medievalmexico.com/ Medieval Alliance]." International Medieval Alliance. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.</ref>
Afterwards, the Chancellor alerts the king that the gift the Herald of the North promised has arrived. The gift is the Master of Horse and a skilled Andalusian stallion, one of the most valuable gifts a king can send another king at that time. The stallion and the Master of Horse proceed to do various acts (this part of the show serves as an intermission of sorts, as the knights need this time to prepare for the joust). The Herald of the North comes out after the display with the arena once again filling with fog, and tells the king that Lord Ulrick wants to unite the two kingdoms together by marrying Princess Catalina. Disgusted and knowing of Lord Ulrick's previous terrible dealings, Don Carlos tells the Herald to return to his king and withdraw his demand for the princess.


The first two Medieval Times-styled shows were developed in the late 1960s by Jose Montaner in Spain at [[Majorca]] and [[Benidorm]]. Montaner converted the [[barbecue]] restaurant on the family farm to entertainment and food venue. Actors portrayed 11th-century jousting of knights of the northern Spanish and southern French kingdoms of [[Aragon]], [[Navarre]], and the village of [[Perelada]], using stories derived from Montaner's family history. Montaner claims to be a descendant of [[Charlemagne]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104111166/medieval-times/ | title=Medieval Times | newspaper=The Miami Herald | date=August 7, 1988 | page=148 }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-06-18-9102230919-story.html | title=Spanish Dinner Entertainment Harks Back to Medieval Times | website=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=June 18, 1991 }}</ref> Accounts indicated that Tino Brana, who was involved in the jousting scenes from the 1961 film ''[[El Cid (film)|El Cid]]'', was involved in staging the jousts.<ref name="auto"/>
The next portion is the joust and fights. The knights that fight in each match and the knight that wins change in each show. The Princess first introduces all the knights as giant nets from the ceiling come down, protecting the audience from the wooden splits from the lances and any weapons that may fly into the audience. The first match is initiated with the Chancellor choosing one knight and asking him to pick another from the other side. There is a classic joust, and the winner is determined by the last one to fall. The winner is given the advantage to strike the opponent with the weapon of his choice. Afterwards, there is a fight to the death on foot, and the winner is allowed to rest for his upcoming match. The second match begins with two new knights, one from each side. There is another joust and a fight to the death. The winner of the second match is challenged by his rival from the other side, which asks the King if they could settle a dispute by a fight to the death. The King allows, and the third match is initiated by the rival throwing a glove to the other knight (there is no joust for this one). The winner of this fight is allowed to rest for his upcoming match. The fourth match is between the winner of the first match and a new knight, which is from the other side. There is a joust and a fight to the death. The winner of the fourth match will face the winner of the third match in the final match (there will always be one from the East and one from the West). The final match is different than the other matches because there is no joust; instead, it starts with a sword fight on horseback, followed by the fight to the death on foot. The winner of the final match is named champion of the tournament, and is given a sash by the Princess to name one of the ladies from the audience as the Queen of Love and Beauty.
The Herald of the North interrupts this normally celebratory occasion and tells the King that he refuses to leave unless he is able to return to King Ulrick with the princess or die in battle against the knight of the King's choosing. The King, having no choice, asks if the Champion of the tournament if he will accept the Herald's challenge, which the Champion gladly does. There is a climatic fight with the Champion and his squire against the Herald and his two squires (this is the only fight where the "squires" fight with their knights. In reality, these are trained knights dressed as squires, since the company no longer allows non-knights to fight). The squires from both sides eventually get slain by their opponents, leaving just the Champion and the Herald. There is one last fight, and the Champion will eventually win this fight. The arena goes completely black as it fills up with fog. The lights come back up and the Herald is chained up by two squires, and the King asks the Herald to now return to his King and withdraw his request. Refusing to go back without the Princess, the Herald says that he will rather die. The Champion knight is about to kill the Herald before the King stops him, saying that the Herald is too valiant to be slain and shall be kept in the dungeon for the rest of his life. The dungeon master pops up from underneath the fog and whips the Herald as the two squires drag him into the dungeon.


In 1983, the Spanish investment group Manver (incorporated in the [[Netherlands Antilles]]) opened their first [[United States]] location in [[Orlando, Florida]], near [[Disney World]], and one of the biggest cities in the [[Southern United States|South]], having over 1.4 million residents in 2021, according to the [[United States Census Bureau]]. In 1986, they opened their second establishment near [[Knott's Berry Farm]] in California.<ref name="auto"/> The franchise later expanded, opening locations in major cities in the [[Southern United States]] and elsewhere, including [[Atlanta, Georgia]]; [[Dallas, Texas]]; [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]]; [[Baltimore, Maryland]]; [[Schaumburg, Illinois]]; [[Lyndhurst, New Jersey]]; [[Scottsdale, Arizona]]; and [[Toronto, Ontario]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Locations |url=https://www.medievaltimes.com/locations |website=Medieval Times |access-date=31 October 2023}}</ref>
The tournament ends with one final celebration of the Champion knight, followed by all of the knights coming back out, along with the Master of Horse, the Herald of the North, and all the squires (this part serves as the final applause for the show). The Chancellor ends the show by wishing all the guests a safe trip home and that he hopes they will return to experience the medieval ages one more time.

In April 1997, the [[Franchising|franchises]] in Florida and California sought bankruptcy protection after losing a court battle with the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]] that required the Buena Park location to pay {{US$|7.5 million}} and the Orlando location to pay {{US$|2.5 million|long=no}} in [[back taxes]] (equivalent to about ${{inflation|US|7.5|1997|r=1}} and ${{inflation|US|2.5|1997|r=1}}M in {{inflation/year|US}}). According to the IRS, Medieval Times improperly deducted royalties, loan interest, and management fees in the 1987 and 1989 tax years. When asked why the company was filing for bankruptcy the company's bankruptcy lawyer, Alan Friedman, said, "One of the primary reasons for filing was to prevent the IRS from beginning to seize any assets."<ref>{{Cite news | last = James | first = Granelli | title = Medieval Times Owners File for Bankruptcy | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date = April 26, 1997 | url = http://articles.latimes.com/1997-04-26/business/fi-52496_1_medieval-times | access-date = August 11, 2009}}</ref>

The shows change about every six years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/latest-news/article16624853.html|title=Medieval Times ready to roll out new show|last=Palisin|first=Steve|date=May 31, 2012|newspaper=The Sun News|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> A new show premiered in late 2017; and, for the first time in the 34-year history of the franchise, the lead role was filled by a Queen, rather than a King. This change was due to feedback from guests who wanted to see women in more significant acting roles. The company also stated that it took two months to teach a Queen how to ride an [[Andalusian horse]].<ref name="PR Newswire">{{Cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/queen-takes-the-reigns-at-medieval-times-castles-starting-october-19-300539685.html |title=Queen Takes The Reigns at Medieval Times Castles Starting October 19 |website=PR Newswire |language=en |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref>

On 31 May 2022, employees at Medieval Times in [[New Jersey]] filed for a union election with the [[NLRB]], working with the [[American Guild of Variety Artists]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Medieval Knights LLC {{!}} National Labor Relations Board |url=https://www.nlrb.gov/case/22-RC-296686 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=www.nlrb.gov}}</ref> In October 2022, the company sued the union over name and logo trademark violations; the suit was subsequently dismissed; MT was, however, able to pressure TikTok to shut the union's social media account on intellectual property grounds.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jamieson |first=Dave |title=Judge Tosses Medieval Times' Trademark Lawsuit Against Union |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/judge-tosses-medieval-times-trademark-lawsuit-against-union/ar-AA1huzEV |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=HuffPost}}</ref> In November 2022, employees at the Buena Park location also won a union election 27-18 to join the American Guild of Variety Artists,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/11/12/1135839671/medieval-times-performers-in-california-unionize-following-months-of-debate|title=Medieval Times performers in California unionize following months of debate|last=Ahn|first=Ashley|date=November 12, 2022|access-date=February 23, 2023|newspaper=National Public Radio}}</ref> and initiated a strike soon after, in February 2023, over pay and safety concerns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2023-02-15/workers-at-medieval-times-strike-citing-low-wages-and-high-risks-for-knightly-work|title=Workers at Medieval Times strike, citing low wages and high risks for knightly work|last=Breijo|first=Stephanie|date=February 15, 2023|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=February 23, 2023}}</ref> After nine months on strike, in November, the union said it would end the strike and return to work while the negotiating team continues to fight for a "safe and equitable" work environment for cast, crew and animals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-22 |title=Medieval Times Buena Park employees end strike and will return to work Wednesday |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/medieval-times-buena-park-employees-011542859.html |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=LA Times via Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}</ref>

Jose's son, Perico Montaner, is now the President and CEO of the private company, which is headquartered in Irving, Texas.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/08/07/how-medieval-times-survives-in-the-digital-age.html | title=How Medieval Times survives in the digital age | newspaper=The Toronto Star | date=August 7, 2016 }}</ref><ref name=Mashed></ref>

As of 19 October 2017, Medieval Times had served over 65 million guests across its entire history as a franchise.<ref name="PR Newswire"></ref>

==In popular culture==
The chain was featured in the 1996 film ''[[The Cable Guy]]'',<ref>{{cite book|title=Race, class, and gender in "medieval" cinema|url=https://archive.org/details/raceclassgenderm00rame|url-access=limited|last=Ramey|first=Lynn T.|year=2007|pages=[https://archive.org/details/raceclassgenderm00rame/page/n121 111]|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan US |isbn=9781403974273}}</ref> and the 2004 feature film ''[[Garden State (film)|Garden State]]''. It has been featured in episodes of TV shows such as ''[[Friends]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0583646/characters/nm0001455 |title="Friends" The One with the Soap Opera Party (TV Episode 2003) |website=IMDb |access-date=April 1, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Cake Boss]]'',<ref>"Tournament of Knights and a Tasty Tiramisu" ''[[Cake Boss]]'', [[TLC (TV channel)|TLC]], June 14, 2010</ref> ''[[Hell's Kitchen (American TV series)|Hell's Kitchen]]'',<ref>"15 Chefs Compete". ''[[Hell's Kitchen (American season 9)|Hell's Kitchen]]'' episode 3. Season 9. July 25, 2011. [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]].</ref> ''[[The Celebrity Apprentice]]'',<ref>{{cite episode|title=Getting Medieval|series=[[The Apprentice (American TV series)|The Apprentice]]|network=[[NBC]]|season=[[The Apprentice (American season 12)|12]]|number=2|airdate=February 26, 2012}}</ref> ''[[Close Enough]]'',<ref>"The Canine Guy" ''[[Close Enough]]'', [[HBO Max]], July 9, 2020. [[Warner Bros.]]</ref> and ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Medieval Times - SNL | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KKRiXcivAQ |language=en}}</ref>

==Locations==
===United States===
* Orlando Castle (1983, [[Kissimmee, Florida]])
* Buena Park Castle (1986, [[Buena Park, California]])
* Lyndhurst Castle (1990, [[Lyndhurst, New Jersey]])
* Chicago Castle, (1991, [[Schaumburg, Illinois]])
* Dallas Castle (1992, [[Dallas, Texas]])
* Myrtle Beach Castle (1995, [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]])
* Baltimore Castle (2003, [[Hanover, Maryland]])
* Atlanta Castle (2006, [[Lawrenceville, Georgia]])
* Scottsdale Castle (2019, [[Scottsdale, Arizona]])
===Canada===
* Toronto Castle (1993, [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]])


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of dinner theaters]]
* [[List of dinner theaters]]


== References ==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


===Bibliography===
== External links ==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book |last=Martin|first=David G.|title=The Philadelphia Campaign: June 1777 – July 1778|location=Conshohocken, PA|publisher=Combined Books|year=1993|isbn=0-938289-19-5}} 2003 Da Capo reprint, {{ISBN|0-306-81258-4}}.
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.medievaltimes.com}}
* {{official website|http://www.medievaltimes.com}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament}}


{{Buena Park, California}}
{{Metro Orlando}}


[[Category:Restaurant chains in the United States]]
[[Category:1983 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:Theme restaurants]]
[[Category:Buena Park, California]]
[[Category:Dinner theatre]]
[[Category:companies based in Irving, Texas]]
[[Category:Companies based in Irving, Texas]]
[[Category:companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1997]]
[[Category:Theatrical jousting]]
[[Category:dinner theatre]]
[[Category:Lyndhurst, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Medieval-themed fairs]]
[[Category:restaurant chains in the United States]]
[[Category:Schaumburg, Illinois]]
[[Category:theatrical jousting]]
[[Category:theme restaurants]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Atlanta]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Baltimore]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Bergen County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Cook County, Illinois]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Dallas]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Orange County, California]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Orlando, Florida]]
[[Category:tourist attractions in Toronto]]
[[Category:Kissimmee, Florida]]

Revision as of 21:50, 15 April 2024

This article is about the medieval-themed dinner theater. For the historical time period, see Middle Ages.

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament
Company typePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedDecember 20, 1983; 40 years ago (1983-12-20) in Kissimmee, Florida, US
Headquarters
Irving, Texas
,
U.S.
Number of locations
10
Area served
United States and Canada
ServicesDinner theater
Websitewww.medievaltimes.com

Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament is a family dinner theater featuring staged medieval-style games, sword-fighting, and jousting. Medieval Times Entertainment, the holding company, is headquartered in Irving, Texas.[1]

There are ten locations: the nine in the United States are built as replica 11th-century castles;[2] the tenth, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is located inside the CNE Government Building.[3]

History

The introduction of the knights, pictured in 2008.
Medieval Times in Schaumburg, Illinois, displaying the coat of arms of Peralada, Catalonia, and the Viscounts Rocabertí, lords of Peralada Castle.[4] Medieval Times founder Jose Montaner was uncle to the Count of Perelada, with the Count holding stock in the company until 2016.[5]
Medieval Times at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The history of jousting tournaments in the United States began in the Colonial period and the Antebellum period. The first recorded jousting tournament in America was the Meschianza, which was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 18 May 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. The event was organized by Major John André, a Frenchman and officer in the British Army, and Oliver De Lancey Jr., a general of French Huguenot descent, to honor General William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, who was stepping down as commander of colonial British forces.[6] However, Americans were unimpressed; jousting would not become popular until the 1800s.[7]

The first jousting tournament recorded in the 19th century, listed as the "oldest continuously-held sporting event in North America", was first held at the Natural Chimneys in Mount Solon, Virginia, in 1821. The tournament proved to be popular, becoming an annual event, and the joust is still held each year the third Saturday in August on the same grounds.[8]

William Gilmor, a wealthy descendant of Scottish-born immigrant Robert Gilmor (1748-1822) of Baltimore, Maryland, organized the second official jousting tournament event on American soil at White Sulphur Springs, now part of West Virginia, on 28 August 1841. Gilmor had come up with the idea after witnessing the popular, but ill-fated Eglinton Tournament in Scotland on 29 August 1839.[8]

After 1840, jousting tournaments became popular entertainment in every Southern state south of the Mason–Dixon line. During the American Civil War (12 April 1861 – 26 May 1865), tournaments were held less often, but still occasionally occurred, including one account of an Alabama Confederate cavalry regiment holding one such event at their winter quarters along the Potomac River. According to one description of the event, "They rode in rags and barefoot, but with great enthusiasm." There was another famous jousting tournament held during the Civil War on the lawn at Monticello near Charlottesville, Virginia in the fall of 1863, where "Confederate soldiers and their ladies hosted a splendid tournament when the Yankees were bragging that even a crow couldn't fly across the valley without their consent".[8]

After the end of the Civil War in 1865, and into the early 20th century, jousting tournaments remained a popular pastime among Southerners and ex-Confederates, with some even referring to the joust as the "National Sport of the South".[8] In 1962, jousting was designated as the official state sport of Maryland, a Southern-adjacent state, by the Maryland General Assembly.[9]

The first two Medieval Times-styled shows were developed in the late 1960s by Jose Montaner in Spain at Majorca and Benidorm. Montaner converted the barbecue restaurant on the family farm to entertainment and food venue. Actors portrayed 11th-century jousting of knights of the northern Spanish and southern French kingdoms of Aragon, Navarre, and the village of Perelada, using stories derived from Montaner's family history. Montaner claims to be a descendant of Charlemagne.[10][11] Accounts indicated that Tino Brana, who was involved in the jousting scenes from the 1961 film El Cid, was involved in staging the jousts.[11]

In 1983, the Spanish investment group Manver (incorporated in the Netherlands Antilles) opened their first United States location in Orlando, Florida, near Disney World, and one of the biggest cities in the South, having over 1.4 million residents in 2021, according to the United States Census Bureau. In 1986, they opened their second establishment near Knott's Berry Farm in California.[11] The franchise later expanded, opening locations in major cities in the Southern United States and elsewhere, including Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Baltimore, Maryland; Schaumburg, Illinois; Lyndhurst, New Jersey; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Toronto, Ontario.[12]

In April 1997, the franchises in Florida and California sought bankruptcy protection after losing a court battle with the IRS that required the Buena Park location to pay US$7.5 million and the Orlando location to pay $2.5 million in back taxes (equivalent to about $14.2 and $4.7M in 2023). According to the IRS, Medieval Times improperly deducted royalties, loan interest, and management fees in the 1987 and 1989 tax years. When asked why the company was filing for bankruptcy the company's bankruptcy lawyer, Alan Friedman, said, "One of the primary reasons for filing was to prevent the IRS from beginning to seize any assets."[13]

The shows change about every six years.[14] A new show premiered in late 2017; and, for the first time in the 34-year history of the franchise, the lead role was filled by a Queen, rather than a King. This change was due to feedback from guests who wanted to see women in more significant acting roles. The company also stated that it took two months to teach a Queen how to ride an Andalusian horse.[15]

On 31 May 2022, employees at Medieval Times in New Jersey filed for a union election with the NLRB, working with the American Guild of Variety Artists.[16] In October 2022, the company sued the union over name and logo trademark violations; the suit was subsequently dismissed; MT was, however, able to pressure TikTok to shut the union's social media account on intellectual property grounds.[17] In November 2022, employees at the Buena Park location also won a union election 27-18 to join the American Guild of Variety Artists,[18] and initiated a strike soon after, in February 2023, over pay and safety concerns.[19] After nine months on strike, in November, the union said it would end the strike and return to work while the negotiating team continues to fight for a "safe and equitable" work environment for cast, crew and animals.[20]

Jose's son, Perico Montaner, is now the President and CEO of the private company, which is headquartered in Irving, Texas.[21][5]

As of 19 October 2017, Medieval Times had served over 65 million guests across its entire history as a franchise.[15]

In popular culture

The chain was featured in the 1996 film The Cable Guy,[22] and the 2004 feature film Garden State. It has been featured in episodes of TV shows such as Friends,[23] Cake Boss,[24] Hell's Kitchen,[25] The Celebrity Apprentice,[26] Close Enough,[27] and Saturday Night Live.[28]

Locations

United States

Canada

See also

References

  1. ^ ""Castle Locations". Medieval Times Entertainment. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  2. ^ Duncan, Kimberly Allyson; Rentz, Lisa Tomer (2008). Insiders' guide to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand (9th ed.). Guilford, CT: Insiders' Guide. ISBN 978-0-7627-4407-7.
  3. ^ Reynolds, Christopher (August 7, 2016). "How Medieval Times survives in the digital age (paper version headline: "All in a knight's work")". Toronto Star. pp. B1–B3.
  4. ^ "Peralada". Costa Brava Living. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Swierk, Adam (June 2, 2022). "The Untold Truth Of Medieval Times". Mashed. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  6. ^ Martin, p. 181.
  7. ^ "The Tournaments of Colonial Times". National Jousting Association. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d "The Romantic Revival". National Jousting Association. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  9. ^ "Md. Gen. Provis. § 7-329". Mgaleg.maryland.gov. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  10. ^ "Medieval Times". The Miami Herald. August 7, 1988. p. 148.
  11. ^ a b c "Spanish Dinner Entertainment Harks Back to Medieval Times". Chicago Tribune. June 18, 1991.
  12. ^ "Locations". Medieval Times. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  13. ^ James, Granelli (April 26, 1997). "Medieval Times Owners File for Bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
  14. ^ Palisin, Steve (May 31, 2012). "Medieval Times ready to roll out new show". The Sun News. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  15. ^ a b "Queen Takes The Reigns at Medieval Times Castles Starting October 19". PR Newswire (Press release). Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  16. ^ "Medieval Knights LLC | National Labor Relations Board". www.nlrb.gov. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  17. ^ Jamieson, Dave. "Judge Tosses Medieval Times' Trademark Lawsuit Against Union". HuffPost. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  18. ^ Ahn, Ashley (November 12, 2022). "Medieval Times performers in California unionize following months of debate". National Public Radio. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  19. ^ Breijo, Stephanie (February 15, 2023). "Workers at Medieval Times strike, citing low wages and high risks for knightly work". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  20. ^ "Medieval Times Buena Park employees end strike and will return to work Wednesday". LA Times via Yahoo Finance. November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  21. ^ "How Medieval Times survives in the digital age". The Toronto Star. August 7, 2016.
  22. ^ Ramey, Lynn T. (2007). Race, class, and gender in "medieval" cinema. Palgrave Macmillan US. pp. 111. ISBN 9781403974273.
  23. ^ ""Friends" The One with the Soap Opera Party (TV Episode 2003)". IMDb. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  24. ^ "Tournament of Knights and a Tasty Tiramisu" Cake Boss, TLC, June 14, 2010
  25. ^ "15 Chefs Compete". Hell's Kitchen episode 3. Season 9. July 25, 2011. Fox.
  26. ^ "Getting Medieval". The Apprentice. Season 12. Episode 2. February 26, 2012. NBC.
  27. ^ "The Canine Guy" Close Enough, HBO Max, July 9, 2020. Warner Bros.
  28. ^ "Medieval Times - SNL". YouTube.

Bibliography

  • Martin, David G. (1993). The Philadelphia Campaign: June 1777 – July 1778. Conshohocken, PA: Combined Books. ISBN 0-938289-19-5. 2003 Da Capo reprint, ISBN 0-306-81258-4.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medieval_Times&oldid=1219122760"