Designing a Restaurant

A restaurant owner may know how to create a comfortable environment that welcomes customers time and time again. Yet, by making simple changes in this environment, you can not only increase repeat business, you can attract new customers and make more sales. Assistance is often needed to accomplish this goal so do not hesitate to hire an interior designer trained in aspects of environmental psychology. Simple changes in lighting, seating and background music can have tremendous benefits. The designer will be able to determine exactly works best for your restaurant.

Any interior designer will tell you that an inviting entrance draws in customers. This is their first impression of your restaurant and you want it to be a good one. Offer views of every portion of the restaurant, from the bar area to the dining area. Whenever possible, seat people close to the front of these areas so your restaurant will appear busy even when it is not. Seating is also important to many when choosing a restaurant. Ensure there is plenty of booth seating available as customers seem to prefer this. A physical structure, whether it be a wall, a window or a partition, helps the customer to feel that he has personal space. Research suggests that booth seating encourages guests to linger longer which may result in increased sales.

Lighting and music should be determined by the average age of your clientele. Younger people can tolerate more stimulation than older patrons. If you are looking to attract families, louder music and brighter lights will be appropriate. If those whose families have grown and gone are your expected clientele, add lighting to each individual table and ensure that there is a wall or other partition between tables or booths as this helps to mute noise. Music should also be kept at a lower level for these patrons.

An interior designer can also assist you in increasing customer turnover. This is the number of people you can serve in particular time frame. Upbeat music, 120 beats or more, will increase the speed of your servers. It will also decrease the length of a customer's stay. Freestanding tables also reduce time guests will spend at a table and distance between tables can increase server speed. Both can increase the number of customers you can seat in an hour. As you can see interior design is very important when planning a restaurant. Use this knowledge to your full advantage.