What are some of the newest trends in restaurant design this year?
We asked Jack Ruthazer, Senior Designer at Greenbaum Interiors in New Jersey, and he shared some great ideas from his repertoire. Why not try some of these suggestions in your restaurant?
Go Ethnic: Do you offer Italian food? Make sure the customer can see that from the moment she walks through your doors; with stucco walls, elegant molded wood dining chairs, and rich upholstery throughout. Design your restaurant so that it reflects the ethnicity of the food that you are serving, instead of dishing out a bland, vague design such as contemporary American.
Noise Control: Restaurants are so noisy these days, it’s hard to feel relaxed and enjoy the luxury of a fine dining experience. Wouldn’t it be great if you could make your restaurant a bit quieter? There are lots of ways to do this, from wall upholstery, to thick carpets, to soundproofing under the ceiling and tables. Your customers will bless the blessed silence in your restaurant.
Creating Space: You want to fit as many seats into the restaurant as possible, without your customers feeling crowded. The best way to do this is to angle the tables. When you set up the tables diagonally, there will be lots of space for people to get around your restaurant without bumping into things.
Waiting Areas: Often, when customers come in to the restaurant, they need to wait around for a while until a table is ready for them. You want to create a waiting space that is comfortable and interesting; where they can sit or stand around and relax while waiting. It’s important that this waiting area should not be seen from the eating area, so that diners don’t feel any pressure to finish up quickly to make room for new customers.
These are just some of the ideas you can use to update your restaurant in 2014. Don’t let your business get stale. Even small changes can make for a more interesting and enjoyable customer experience.
