When it comes to winning the hearts and wallets of customers, there is one factor that outweighs everything else, ambiance. Diners won’t remember how fabulous the food was or the server’s attentiveness if the overall look and feel of the restaurant is lacking.
Repeat business is all about the first impression. What the entrance looks like, if the colors blend, and the lighting affect whether or not the restaurant draws a crowd. Though, to be fair, great food and excellent drinks don’t hurt either. Next, diners will account for the layout of the restaurant. The space between seats matters as much as the type of seating. If the seating is too tightly packed in, customers will feel like sardines, and no one enjoys a meal when they feel like a squished fish. To avoid scaring customers away, a design plan needs to be followed.
While it may not feel like a restaurant’s design matters, it actually has a huge impact. This is because the restaurant's overall ambiance goes hand in hand with the brand image and, by default, the marketing plan. The restaurant's exterior should draw in potential customers walking past, while the interior should make them feel comfortable. Interior design combines complementary color pallets, branding, and lighting. Add in county seating requirements, accessibility, restroom requirements, and other basics, and you have your restaurant. The right combination will result in additional sales. If the restaurant’s vibe fits with the customer, they will feel at home ordering more food and drinks and want to spend more time in the restaurant. If the design aesthetic is too cold or chaotic, customers will want to get out of there as fast as possible. Even worse, they won’t return. Of course, if the design is spot on and the food and service are terrible, the result will be the same. A successful restaurant is the whole package.
Good lighting highlights the space adding warmth and ambiance. It allows customers to see their menus and the details of their food when it is served. Lighting should enhance the mood, encouraging dinner to get comfortable talking and interacting with one another. Lighting can be used to create a more intimate atmosphere or bring up the mood, creating a fun atmosphere. Lighting can change depending on what time of day it is. It doesn’t have to be a fixed setting.
Take PF Changs, for example. During the day, the windows are open, and the lights above the booths are at their brightest settings. However, as afternoon turns to evening, the shades are drawn, the pendant lights above the booths are turned down to a lower setting, and candles are lit, creating a warmer, more intimate setting for the diners.
Restaurants and bars have plenty of lighting options to choose from. Some choices are better than others, but which lights to use relies heavily on the overall aesthetic. For example, you wouldn’t see a Chipotle putting candles out on the tables, just like you wouldn’t see a steak house using bright track lighting.
Candles are often used on tables to create an intimate setting. They are generally used in higher-end, sit-down restaurants where patrons are expected to spend at least an hour or more enjoying their meal. Candles lend to the ambiance, adding a homey feel and engaging the senses. Some restaurants use flameless candles for a more efficient lighting option, but nothing is better than the real thing.
Pendant lights can be used in a grouping over the center of tables, adding some visual interest and complementing the design element. They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes, and colors. Pendants can also hang over the bar.
Track lights can be mixed and matched with pendant lights for lighting depth. They can be adjusted from dim up to as bright as the sun, which also works well for time-of-day lighting shifts.
Wall sconces are often used at the entrance of the restaurant, the waiting area, hallways, and by the bar. They are most noticeable in the hallways on the way to the bathrooms, where they give light without throwing off the restaurant's overall vibe. Restaurants with a bright, fun-filled vibe may choose ambient or industrial lighting. Chandeliers give restaurants a modern, dramatic flair and are best placed over tables.
A restaurant's seating plan is a delicate balance between maximizing space and the comfort of your patrons. Generally, there should be 18-20 square feet per customer for fine dining, while a full-service restaurant should have around 12-15 square feet. Maximizing space is why most restaurants have a mix of seating types. Most often, booths are around the edges, while tables and chairs fill the middle. The tables and chairs can either be regular dining or high tops.
Chairs: Tables and chairs can easily be rearranged to accommodate larger parties or split into smaller groupings. They are more conducive to conversation, but they lack intimacy.
Booths: Booths can vary in size depending on the restaurant and their level of intimacy. Booths with full partitions offer complete privacy where diners feel like they are in their own private space until they step down onto the main floor to use the restroom or leave. Some booths offer partial partitions giving customers limited privacy. No matter how much of a partition a booth has, they are more intimate than tables or sitting at the bar. However, they do take up a bit of space.
