Building a new restaurant from scratch involves a great deal of planning and work. You will need to start with a design that fulfills everything you want for your restaurant, and ensure that it’s laid out in a way that will promote the look and feel you envision for when it is open and running. You will need to consider every detail from door hardware to window glass, wall textures to table candles, and visually appealing menus and signage.
The design of your restaurant will impact the atmosphere and workflow for the restaurant staff and patrons. It’s important to enlist the help of an experienced designer, or people with extensive experience in the restaurant business, to help you layout exactly what you want for your future restaurant.
Here are a few things to consider when designing your restaurant.
First Impression
The front of your restaurant, the public entrance, and the lobby area will provide patrons with their first impression of your business. Patrons will develop a perceived value for your restaurant—and your food-based initially on this first impression, so you’ll want it to be a good one. For example, commercial wood doors are more upscale than standard glass push doors. These commercial doors, such as architectural wood doors or mahogany, flush wood doors, to your restaurant supply an elegant and high-end image for patrons as they enter. It will also create a tinge of intrigue, as they can’t just look in through the wood doors. In addition, using mirrors as part of your decor will help to make the restaurant look even more spacious and open.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere of the dining area will create a general tone, or feel, for space. For example, having a fireplace in the dining area will create a warm and soothing atmosphere comparable to relaxing with loved ones during the cold winter months. A gorgeous fireplace mantel and fireplace décor will enhance the space and connect it to the rest of the dining area’s design and atmosphere. Creating a seating area near the fireplace can also enhance the space. Choosing decor from a company like Shutterfly will provide you with a wide range of options that will suit nearly any theme. Don’t forget the candles either, as every good restaurant supplies that flickering warm glow from the wax sticks in the middle of each table.
Seating
The seating you choose is also critical to the atmosphere you want to create. Common seating options include tables, booths, high-top tables, benches, and bar seating. When choosing a seat, you need to consider comfort, functionality, and appearance. The seating will need to fit nicely into the space, so you need to consider how many larger tables you want. You will need to decide if you will have an area of the restaurant that can be sectioned off for private parties and choose the seating for that area with a private party in mind. You can explore your seating options while at the restaurant supply store.
Equipment
Since you are literally building from the ground up, you will need to buy all the needed supplies and equipment for your kitchen and prep areas. You will need to make a list of necessary equipment based on what you plan to offer on your menu. Your list should also include all the pots, pans, glassware, and dishes needed for the maximum capacity. The Restaurant Warehouse offers restaurant equipment Seattle restaurant owners need, but their prices and selection are ideal, that it is worth traveling to from outside the Seattle area. You can talk to an expert to determine the type and quantity of equipment you should buy for opening your restaurant. You can review your food offerings with a representative from the company to get their feedback on what you will need immediately, and what you may decide to wait on.
Layout
The layout of the dining area, kitchen, prep areas, and bathrooms will need to be carefully considered for ease of movement, efficiency, and comfort. You want the restaurant to have a clear flow so that your staff is not running into each other, or constantly having to maneuver things out of their way. There should also be clear pathways for the patrons, particularly from the hostess to the eating area, and the table to the bathrooms. Ideally, a patron shouldn’t have to ask where the bathrooms are, because their placement makes sense.
