The decision to open a restaurant in today’s highly competitive market involves a high level of risk. Will the restaurant be successful? Is the menu appealing? Will patrons want to return? Does the building have enough curb appeal to attract walk-in traffic? Is the dining area inviting?
The overall design of your restaurant will directly influence its overall success. Engaging a restaurant-specific design firm will increase your chances of success, especially during the crucial first year in business. Your dedicated design firm will create the atmosphere that patrons love, while also paying attention to an efficient kitchen layout and back of house for staff.
Key Reasons To Hire A Restaurant-Specific Design Firm
Building and agency approval delays can be costly and can negatively impact your business even before the design and construction process begins. A restaurant-specific design firm has a solid understanding of the unique zoning and health department requirements that restaurants must be comply with.
Additionally, your design firm can also coordinate multiple-agency cooperation, arranging for the necessary inspections and permit sign-off.
A restaurant-specific design firm can help you create a better customer experience. Your design firm will collaborate with you in creating the ideal customer environment:
- Comfortable and inviting waiting areas with adequate seating.
- Visually pleasing color palettes that reflect your restaurant’s theme and brand while also creating an inviting environment for customers to linger and order more food.
- Lighting design that reflects the overall mood and theme of your brand, and ties in well with the color palette.
- Efficient dining room layouts that facilitate ease of traffic flow while complying with ADA and flow of traffic regulations
- Adequate “curb appeal” to attract walk-in customers and to enhance visibility of your restaurant’s brand
- Take-out area that won’t interfere with the flow of dining room traffic and customers
- Adequate privacy levels for your dining area: either cozy and private, or more open and communal
Favorable Employee Experience For Safety And Efficiency
Since a successful restaurant also depends on a favorable employee experience, a restaurant-specific design firm will keep in mind design elements that will allow restaurant staff to perform their work easily, safely, and efficiently:
- Suitable delivery access
- Workflow efficiency for storage, staff, and cooking
- Efficient kitchen equipment layout and creating schedule/equipment needs specific to the menu items
- Separate traffic flow for patrons and restaurant staff
- Visible and open cooking areas to facilitate better communication between kitchen manager, cooks, and waitstaff
Since the kitchen is the nerve center of your restaurant, your design team will help create the safest, most efficient kitchen design for your staff. A work environment that is safe, efficient, and allows staff to perform their jobs well is one of the key components in reducing staff turn-over and its associated costs.
A successful restaurant venture largely depends on design elements that enhance customer experience while allowing staff to perform their roles safely and efficiently. Armed with a unique understanding of the restaurant industry and its many building and design requirements, an industry-specific design team will enhance your chances of success from the very beginning.
