Food and drinks aren’t the only factors in creating a successful restaurant. Ambience plays a huge role, too, in establishing how comfortable guests are in an establishment. The comfort and function weigh heavily in the design process, but how do you address comfort while designing a space? Here are tips on designing a comfortable restaurant.
Consistent Branding
The brand of the restaurant needs to be consistent because it can affect the space’s ambience. For example, if the brand is formal dining, you’ll have to consider all aspects that affect the guests’ perceptions, including the uniforms, place settings, and decor. Inconsistencies can be confusing or even jarring to patrons. For instance, loud music might not make sense in a restaurant with formal dining. It’s wise to settle on a brand before designing the space so that all branding is consistent.
Seating Capacity
Balancing seating capacity with ambience is also a concern. The traditional dining room setting of cafeteria-style rows might get you to maximum capacity, but squeezing in too many tables can make guests feel uncomfortable if they’re sitting right next to other patrons. Designing a comfortable restaurant means finding a middle that provides comfortable seating but allows enough tables to turn a profit.
Proper HVAC
Ventilation plays a significant role in restaurant design. Kitchens create a ton of smoke and heat, and restaurants need proper ventilation to remove it so that it doesn’t affect the guests in the dining room. Likewise, you’ll need a properly running heating and cooling system to keep people comfortable during warmer and colder months. Poor indoor air quality can make people feel ill, especially if odors and heat are wafting into the guests’ space from the kitchen.
Designing Bathrooms
Bathrooms shouldn’t be an afterthought in restaurant design. In fact, they are an extension of your brand and another opportunity to make the guest feel comfortable in the space. A dirty or poorly designed restaurant bathroom reflects poorly on the business.
Correct Lighting
Lighting, too, can be an afterthought for restaurant owners and designers, but it’s another element that can reinforce your brand. For example, if you own a sports bar or a cigar lounge, you might want to choose lighting ideas that will resonate with men, like leather wall scones. But if you’re lighting a café that’s a destination for couples, you might choose softer lighting options like candlelight in a dim room to enhance the feeling of intimacy.
Consistent Color
Color can significantly impact our initial perceptions of an establishment and also our decision-making skills. The right color can make a dining room appear more spacious and even soothing, whereas the wrong color scheme can come across as tacky or cramped. Choose the wrong one, and your guests will form a subconscious bias before they even sit down. So consider carefully before choosing a color palette.
Creating and running a successful restaurant depends on so many things. By considering these tips on designing a comfortable restaurant, you ensure that your guests’ experience is a positive one, securing the coveted return customers that will become the backbone of your business.
Van Rundell is a writer and author who specializes in transportation, travel, guidance, health & fitness. With over 10 years of experience in the industry as a driver and an entrepreneur, he has seen it all. His tone is professional but friendly with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. In past, he has been advising, educating and writing about transport for the public and professionals alike.
A qualified fitness instructor with over 5 years’ experience as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Van brings his deep knowledge of health and exercise science to his articles on health & fitness.
