Restaurant Renovation Ideas to Improve Customer Value

A great night out at a restaurant should be a multi-sensory experience for diners. Fragrances from the kitchen, a warm welcome from the waiters and waitresses, and restaurant décor all combine to create an experience that people are eager to repeat.

Not only is the food you serve important, but the surroundings must also be comfortable and inviting. If you achieve this, you’ll receive great reviews online, or by word of mouth, from customers.

Along with a variety of delicious options on the menu, décor is one of the ways in which restaurateurs can create an exceedingly positive and lasting impression. Research has shown that a restaurant’s décor can significantly affect customer satisfaction. It can also dictate how they perceive their entire dining experience, including the food.

You should strive to create a comfortable and inviting space that allows customers to easily get to the bathrooms, bar, and sit at their tables without feeling crowded. You also need to make sure there’s enough room for servers to pass through. Whether that means tackling smaller projects yourself with an oscillating multi-tool, or bringing in professionals who can provide input on interior spaces and decorations, your restaurant’s appearance needs to make a great first impression while remaining functional.

It may seem like a bigger undertaking to renovate your restaurant when compared to your home. Below are some ideas to help you renovate your restaurant and improve your customer’s overall dining experience.

Color and Theme

The colors chosen for your restaurant have a huge impact on the overall ambience for diners. Along with music, lighting, and of course food, the color chosen for the restaurant walls and furnishings will help create the basis for the theme of your restaurant’s décor. It can also directly affect a customer’s behavior and emotion, guiding their intentions to dine with you again.

Most experts agree that nearly all shades of red for restaurants are a mistake, unless you’re a fast-food diner. Red increases heart rates, blood pressure and stimulates impulse eating.

For a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere, try palettes with softer natural colors like greens and browns. Or, if you are aiming for a more cheerful and light-hearted feel, think about oranges and yellows.

Choosing the right color palette for your restaurant is just as important as the background music when creating an ambiance that attracts new diners and encourages loyalty among existing patrons.

Great Lighting

When it comes to lighting, it’s important to take careful consideration. Too dim and your customers won’t be able to read your menu, too bright and they’ll feel less relaxed and more rushed. Lighting is a great way to set the mood in your establishment and can even increase sales when done right.

Consider the type of mood you wish to create in your dining areas. Are you building an intimate and cozy, relaxed and friendly, or eat and go style atmosphere? Each will require slightly different lighting to help create the feeling you want customers to have when dining with you.

Just as important as your dining area, your kitchen and staff areas need enough light to allow employees to perform their jobs well. Dim kitchens make food preparation challenging. Wait staff will need enough light to take orders correctly and tally up bills at the end of each customer’s visit.

Restaurant Layout

The floor plans of restaurants affect both the diner’s experiences and the smooth running of your business. Successful restaurant floor plans typically work on a 40:60 workspace to dining space ratio.

You’ll need to consider the prime spaces of your restaurant to make sure that the floor plan allows for an easy flow between all for both clientele and staff. These typically include the kitchen, restrooms, dining areas, bar, and entrance. Floor coverings should complement the rest of the décor and also be easy to clean.

Each of these elements should be considered individually and then in relation to one another to ensure your restaurant makes the best use of space. This will also ensure that everything comes together to create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere that your customers look forward to returning.