Planning a restaurant remodel can be overwhelming, as there are many aspects of the business that need to be addressed in order to ensure efficient workflow and customer satisfaction on a consistent basis. Let’s take a look at the functionality of each of the key areas of your restaurant in order to design a remodel that suits your business’s needs.
Entrance
The interior and exterior of your restaurant’s main entrance are among the first things your guests see and form an impression of upon their arrival.
Exterior: Your restaurant may receive most of its patrons from local advertisements and word of mouth, but what about those random passersby that have other business in the area and suddenly notice they’re hungry and need a bite to eat? Transforming your restaurant’s exterior with bright and attractive signage, lighting, colors, and potted flowers can be all it takes to see a significant spike in foot traffic and spur-of-the-moment visitors.
Interior: A spacious entryway and an inviting host/hostess stand will make guests feel welcome immediately upon their arrival. Creating or redesigning a waiting area with cozy seating and soft music that complements the theme of your restaurant allows guests to relax comfortably and pass the time when there is a wait during peak business hours.
Dining Room
Your restaurant’s dining room needs to efficiently accommodate both waitstaff and diners alike. An open floor plan will allow space for staff to come and go as needed without the risk of bumping into other employees. Sectioning off a few dining tables to partially enclosed areas can provide a more intimate and private setting for special occasion dining and group dinners. Experts suggest the following spacing rules to ensure guests don’t feel overcrowded while dining:
- 24-30 inches between diagonal table corners
- 42-60 inches between square tables
- 18 inches between occupied chairs
Bar
If your restaurant doesn’t have a bar but has plenty of space to design one, what’s stopping you?! A full-service bar can offer multiple benefits:
- It can serve as an additional waiting area for guests who want to snack or grab a drink while awaiting a table in the main dining room.
- With high-top tables and bar seating, it can act as an additional and more casual dining area, allowing you to serve more people at a time.
- An attractive bar paired with daily drink and appetizer specials can draw in customers during slower business hours and provide an ideal setting for informal business meetings or after-work happy hours.
Kitchen
If the front-of-house provides the prelude to the ultimate dining experience, the kitchen performs the main event! Likely the most important space in your restaurant, the kitchen needs special attention to ensure that it suits all the needs of the chefs responsible for preparing, cooking, and plating your culinary offerings.
Kitchen Design Tip #1: Involve your chef in the design process. This will ensure proper equipment, adequate space, and other essential back-of-house needs will be met. Be open to suggestions from kitchen staff on what to include in your restaurant remodel that the existing kitchen is lacking.
Kitchen Design Tip #2: Know the local health codes. State-wide regulations and safety protocols are in place to ensure proper food handling, fire prevention, and little to no risk of contamination. Make sure your kitchen follows these standards to promote food safety and efficient kitchen operations.
Kitchen Design Tip #3: Choose an ergonomic design. Kitchen staff are on their feet and on the move all day long, so it’s crucial to structure your restaurant’s new kitchen in a way that promotes easy navigation, time-saving cooking methods, and reduced risk of accidents.
Interested in Restaurant Remodeling in Maryland?
Our skilled and creative team here at Northstar Commercial Construction is ready to help design and construct a remodel for your restaurant that is not only attractive to guests but also functionally efficient for your staff. Contact us today to get started!
