A Few Final Ideas on Restaurant Redesign

Back again, with more design tips. Let’s say you were convinced by Wednesday’s post to try updating your restaurant’s “look,” you know the theme or appearance you’re after, and you even have someone in mind to help you out, but you’re still not quite sure where to begin. What’s important to consider? What makes designing a restaurant different than other businesses, homes, etc.?

Consider these 5 areas:

Balancing Your Look With Your Seating 
Though you want to look welcoming, rather than cramped, keep in mind that the idea is to fit in enough customers as is comfortably possible without ruining the space and flow of your establishment. This balance changes depending on the type of restaurant you’re operating, too; for instance, a fine dining establishment might focus more on ambiance (and higher prices!) while a diner might focus on seating more customers.

Potential Problem Areas
You’d rather not have a “bad” table in your restaurant. Most customers don’t really want to eat dinner right next to bathroom, or even the kitchen or front entrance. In areas where noise, high traffic, or anything else might deter diners from being willing to sit, consider placing wait or bus stations. As much as possible, avoid placing dining tables where you yourself wouldn’t really want to eat. Before you debut your new look, sit in every seat in your restaurant — if the view’s unappealing to you, chances are it might also put off customers.

Music?

Many diners like having music to fill the silence. Just make sure it’s unobtrusive and appropriate for your restaurant’s customers.

Many restaurants include music as part of their ambiance. It helps cut down on awkward silence and can even attract customers (like me!) who enjoy listening to the songs and guessing the artists. However, there’re a few things to keep in mind: 1) content — don’t include songs that are inappropriate or vulgar; you don’t want to offend any of your customers; 2) keep a large rotation of music playing; you don’t want to bore people with the same song every half hour; 3) try to keep the style of music appropriate for background noise and for the demographic you serve; and 4) consider playing the radio, as long as you can find a commercial free station.

Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation
To keep your restaurant comfortable, make sure you have proper industrial grade ventilation in your kitchen, as well as heat and air conditioning as is appropriate to your climate. Part of the reason customers dine out is to be comfortable, so you must offer them a well-regulated temperature. Consider fans and other ventilation options — this is worth the price in the long term.

Restrooms
Not only should you keep your restaurants spotlessly clean — and check up on this often — but you should also consider their appearance if your redesigning. Nothing’s more of a turn off for diners than a dingy, dark bathroom that feels somehow unclean no matter how often it’s maintained. Make your restaurants look bright and contemporary, and your customers will thank you. A little design uniqueness wouldn’t hurt either — people remember these little touches!

Hopefully these tips help! Good luck with redesigning your restaurant, and I’ll see you all next week with some new posts. Until then, contact us here or leave a comment below.