"Dinner theater" in Lancaster County covers two things people are usually looking for: an actual dinner-and-a-show under one roof, and the county's bigger theaters where you catch a production and eat nearby. Lancaster does both unusually well for its size. This is the rundown.

True dinner theaters (dinner and a show together)

These serve a meal and stage a production in the same visit, usually a buffet before a musical or a comedy.

  • Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre (Lancaster) is the classic: a buffet dinner followed by a full Broadway-style musical, running a rotating season of familiar titles. The longest-running professional dinner theater in the area.
  • Rainbow's Comedy Playhouse (Paradise) pairs a buffet with a live comedy, farce, or musical-comedy production. Lighter fare, big laughs, popular with groups.
  • Magic & Wonder Dinner Theater (Paradise) combines a meal with an illusion and magic show, geared to families.
  • Bird-in-Hand Stage (Bird-in-Hand) puts on original Amish-themed musicals, with dinner-and-show packages available through the adjacent smorgasbord.

The marquee theaters (a show, then dinner out)

These do not serve dinner at your seat, but they are the reason people plan a theater night in Lancaster. Pair any of them with an early dinner in town or in Amish Country.

  • Sight & Sound Theatres (Ronks) is the giant: enormous, professionally staged Biblical productions with live animals and a wraparound stage, drawing bus tours from across the country. The single most-reviewed attraction in the county.
  • American Music Theatre (Lancaster) runs original productions plus a year-round concert calendar of national touring acts.
  • Fulton Theatre (downtown Lancaster) is a restored 1852 National Historic Landmark staging Broadway-caliber regional productions. Walk to dinner on the surrounding blocks before the show.
  • Prima Theatre and Ephrata Performing Arts Center round out the options for contemporary and edgier work.

Planning tips

  • Book ahead. Dinner theaters and Sight & Sound sell out on weekends and around holidays; buy well in advance.
  • Ask about the meal. Dinner-theater packages are usually buffet-style with a set seating time before the show; confirm dietary options when you book.
  • Matinees are easier. Weekday and weekend matinees draw smaller crowds and are the move for families and older visitors.
  • Pair a marquee show with dinner out. Build in an early dinner. See our guides to the best restaurants and date-night spots.

Want live music instead of a stage production? See our guide to live music venues in Lancaster County.