Five steps to design the best restaurant venue

Designing the perfect restaurant venue can be a complicated task. There are so many elements to keep in mind, ranging from comfort and functionality, to acoustics. Before getting started, it’s important to ask yourself what makes a great restaurant. A number of things should be kept in mind, especially if you want to guarantee the ultimate customer experience.

Effective Use of Space

This is the biggest essential that will determine all other aspects of venue design. What’s the kitchen’s capacity? How many tables would you like to fit in the venue? You’ll have to achieve the fine balance between optimising the number of customers you can serve and giving these people some space.

Apart from thinking about the customers, you should also consider the supplying process, the placement of the toilets, service premises and employee entrances. All of these will determine the restaurant dynamics and the movement of people.

Light Sets the Mood

The layout and the design of the restaurant will be impacted heavily by your use of light. It can be bright or it can be used to create an intimate ambiance that will be ideal for romantic nights out. Natural and warm-coloured lights in the venue are ideal. At the same time, you may want to consider brighter lights above the bar, at the entrance and in a specific area that you’d like to have highlighted.

Acoustics

One of the most unpleasant things that people experience when entering a restaurant is the noise from the nearby tables. The acoustics of the room must be considered; otherwise, you’ll end up with a noisy space that very few will enjoy. Having solely hard surfaces and lacking acoustic treatments will lead to booming sounds throughout the venue.

To overcome such a problem, you may want to try sound absorbing products like carpets, wall panels, and even soundproofing treatments if you have enough money to dedicate to such an upgrade.

If you’re concerned about the cost, you should know that installing acoustic treatments upfront is a lot less expensive than trying to retrofit such improvements. It’s a better idea to deal with the task before getting started, as soundproofing will increase the quality of the customer experience.

Kitchen Design Considerations

When designing your kitchen, you will need to consider the types and sizes of the equipment you need, the space you’ll need for storage and refrigeration units, the types of foods you’ll have to store, the number of deliveries expected per week, the number of food preparation stations and the number of people who’ll be working in the kitchen.

The Right Furniture

Choosing the right furniture for your restaurant will depend on the theme, the level of sophistication you want to achieve, and the long-term goals you have. Always stick to commercial restaurant furniture because it tends to be much more long-lived and durable. Look for stain-resistant pieces, especially when it comes to items covered in fabric or upholstery.

The shape and the size of the bigger pieces like tables, chairs and booths should be reflective of the theme that you’ve picked. If you’re offering modern dining options, don't choose decadent and rustic furniture.

When picking furniture, you should also be thinking about offering customers versatility. Two-person tables, larger tables and booths will be ideal to seat all kinds of groups. You may also consider getting bar seating as an additional choice for your clients.