A Comprehensive Guide to Refreshing Your Restaurant’s Dining Room
There’s a certain feeling when you walk into a restaurant and the dining room just looks…off. The chairs are mismatched, the lighting is terrible, and the walls are bare.
Not far behind food quality, dining rooms are one of the most important aspects of every restaurant dining experience. It’s where you create the perfect atmosphere for your guests, from the lighting to the decor. That’s why, if your restaurant dining room has seen better days, it may be time for a renovation.
But here’s a secret: you don’t need to break the bank to give your dining room a fresh new look. With this complete guide to restaurant dining room renovations, you’ll be able to spruce up your space with ease—and have some fun along the way!
From finding inspiration and budgeting, to selecting furniture and decorating, we’ve got all of the tips and tricks that you need to make sure your restaurant looks as great as the food tastes.
So, let’s get started.
Out With the Old, In With the New: Tips to Achieve the Perfect Restaurant Renovation
Looking to create a comfortable and stylish space sure to draw in customers? Here are a few tips and tricks you need to know:
1. Design a Welcoming, Inviting Space
First and foremost, a well-designed restaurant dining room should be inviting and comfortable. Simply put, the overall atmosphere should evoke positive emotions. To do this, pay attention to small details like:
- Color scheme
- Appliances and fixtures
- Artwork on the walls
- Music selection
Aligning these factors with your renovation plans is a surefire way to encourage guests to return.
2. Consider Daily Efficiencies
Second, a good layout should ensure efficient service for staff members and customers alike. Your restaurant’s dining room layout should help smooth-out the flow of traffic—not make it more complicated.
3. Make Use of Available Space
With notoriously thin margins, restaurants should do whatever necessary to serve as many customers as possible. Luckily, making use of every available space is an easy way to accomplish this.
Utilizing all available space allows you to maximize seating capacity, and more importantly, profits. So, be creative with your design and incorporate features that may not have been possible before.
4. Promote Customer Interaction
Every restaurant’s dining room should help promote customer interaction. Put simply, a good layout should encourage guests to mingle and engage in conversation with one another. This is especially important in restaurants that offer shared plates, buffets, or large tables for groups.
5. Identify What Works Best: Open or Closed Spaces
Next, determine whether you want to “open up” the space or create distinct areas in order to accommodate different types of seating. Open spaces are great for small restaurants that want to make their dining room feel spacious and welcoming. Closed off areas, on the other hand, are perfect for larger restaurants that want to create distinct, intimate dining experiences within each room.
It’s not a secret—the entire culinary industry is driven by new innovations. If you’re looking to fill more tables, innovate your customer experience with a newer, fresher look.
6. Decide What To Do With Your Furnishings
While easy to overlook, it’s essential to identify how to approach furnishings. Are you keeping the same tables and chairs? Or, are you investing in sleeker, more modern designs?
For both options, it’s essential to consider how many tables and chairs your restaurant can fit into its layout. This is especially important for smaller restaurants that don’t have a lot of space to work with, as the number of tables and chairs should be appropriate for the size of your dining room. Essentially, you want to provide enough seating for customers without making them feel cramped or overwhelmed by the number of people in the room.
7. Don’t Forget About Noise Levels
Giving your dining room a fresh look is exhilarating, as the options are virtually endless. However, don’t let the excitement distract you from what really matters—customer experience.
Time and time again, restaurants get caught up in renovations and forget a critical factor: noise levels. While overlooked, your audio climate is an essential part of every resturant’s dining room. There’s a thin line between customers having conversations with ease, and them shouting over each other just to hear.
But fear not, there’s an easy solution. By strategically placing sound absorbing materials such as carpets or wall coverings throughout the dining room, you’re able to combat noise pollution. Additionally, you consider installing acoustic panels or baffles to the ceiling to help balance out your sound levels.
8. Choose Lighting to Complement the Ambiance of Restaurant
A well-designed restaurant dining room should reflect the overall theme and concept of your establishment. Design elements should be consistent with the overall branding of the restaurant and enhance its atmosphere, including your lights.
You want to provide enough light for customers to be able to view their food and drinks, but you also don’t want it to be so bright it’s uncomfortable. So, take into account the type of atmosphere that you’re trying to create and choose lighting fixtures and colors accordingly.
9. Partner With a Professional, Experienced Restaurant Renovation Contractor
When it comes to designing and renovating a restaurant dining room, no one knows better than a professional. They have experience working in the hospitality industry and know how to create spaces that both look attractive and maximize efficiency.
Start Renovating Your Restaurant’s Dining Room Today
Innovation and relevance are driving forces in the culinary industry. And, as trends change, people are drawn to eat at places that offer something new.
When the time comes to renovate your space, RSP Group is here to help. With over 50 years of experience, we deliver the style and substance your restaurant needs to fill its tables.
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RSP Group is an inclusive, creative, and collaborative construction service provider in the San Francisco Bay Area. We help you realize your ambitions with unique solutions tailored to your needs.