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The best, most successful restaurants hinge on the “golden trinity”: superb food, excellent service, and great ambiance. If a restaurant is lacking one of these elements, there is a big chance you are losing out on a lot of business.
If you will be refurbishing your restaurant in the hopes of getting new and retaining more restaurant patrons, the first step to achieving all your business goals is to come up with the right fit out plan. You can do this by incorporating the following important elements in your restaurant fit-out and design project:
1. The restaurant theme or concept
The theme or concept of your restaurant should dictate all the furniture, fixtures, and features customers will see in your establishment.
If you already have an established cuisine such as Italian, French, Thai, or Japanese and a concept (fast-casual, contemporary, fine dining, etc.), make sure these two are logically tied in and evident in your fit out and interior design plan.
Keep in mind that the theme and concept of your restaurant play a crucial role in distinguishing you from other dining establishments within your location. As such, try to find the right balance between having a unique design and the standard expectations of a restaurant. This way, you can have a restaurant venue that is sure to draw in customers based on appeal alone.
2. Your brand
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to incorporate your brand into your restaurant’s fit-out and design as well.
Aside from showcasing your logo, your ethics, vision, mission, and beliefs should be evident in your restaurant design. Your customers and staff should easily know what you stand for as a brand and why you are different. It should also show how you feel about your customers and staff.
3. Floor layout and traffic flow
The perfect restaurant layout is one in which the customers and staff have enough room to move in and around without getting in the way of each other.
The layout should also allow the diners to easily draw the attention of wait staff, and enable the staff to move smoothly and quickly around the tables without tripping over anything on the floor.
Lastly, when designing your floor plan, make sure that the diners feel they have room to move around but not to the extent that they feel isolated from the nearby tables. This is because tables that are too far from each other will diverge from the cozy atmosphere you may want in your restaurant. This can also make some diners feel uncomfortable.
When coming up with your final restaurant layout, find a way to make the floor plan flexible. In doingso, chairs, tables, the billing counter, and other fixtures can be moved or adjusted when needed to maximize spatial benefits.
4. Furniture
The theme and concept of your restaurant will help you have an easier time choosing the ideal furniture pieces for your establishment.
The furnishings you select should work with and boost the ambiance in the restaurant. Additionally, opt for ones that are comfortable and durable. Your customers will be sitting for two or more hours in the chairs and, as such, you have to ensure they will be comfy while are eating, drinking, or simply socializing.
It is also important that you choose furniture pieces that are long-lasting to spend less on maintenance, repair and replacement.
5. Color
Your choice for the color of your walls, ceiling, counter, furniture, and wooden or bespoke fixtures will depend on the ambiance you are looking for in your restaurant.
If you have a fast casual restaurant, you may want to consider going for red, yellow, or other bright primary colors since these hues can stimulate appetite.
If you want the dining room to have a calm, relaxing and even give off a romantic vibe, opt for shades of blue, green or purple.
6. Lighting
Aside from color, the lighting in your restaurant will also create the right atmosphere in your dining establishment.
If you want your restaurant to have a cozy, laid-back ambiance, install warm white LED bulbs on your lighting fixtures. When possible, choose flattering lighting for your customers.
You can always get help from interior and fit-out designers if you are having any difficulty starting your restaurant renovation project or with making the right decisions. With their input, you will ensure all your investments in improving your restaurant won’t go to waste, and your vision can become a reality.
AUTHOR BIO
Shane Curran
CEO at Interact Group LLC
Interact Group is a design-led interior fit-out company that aims to set new standards in the UAE interiors market. Driven by their dedication to total customer experience, the company’s mission is to bring truly specialized teams to complex design and fit-out challenges, utilizing their unmatched ability to deliver spaces efficiently and above expectation.
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