Successful Restaurants . . . it takes more than good sushi
By Donna Bergeron, ASID and Jillene Cochran
Weber + Thompson
as published in Puget Sound Business Journal
Commercial Real Estate Quarterly
August 23, 2002
With the changing face of the hospitality industry in the last few decades, the recipe for creating a successful restaurant has become more and more elusive.
Restaurateurs rely more heavily on restaurant consultants, menu developers, architects and interior designers to help find the intangible combination of menu, service, price, market, location and atmosphere that will draw today's diner to their establishment. Design is one important factor in creating a thriving restaurant and the architect and interior designer's challenge is to craft the restaurateur's vision into a three dimensional space.
Space planning, quality of detail and materials, and lighting are elements that can help or hinder the success of a new restaurant.
Development of a strong idea, or concept is major part of creating a successful restaurant. Conceived by the restaurateur and developed by his management and design team, the concept must encompass every facet of the operation with the objective of creating a clear, consistent image to the public.
As the concept evolves, the team makes decisions, such as complexity of the menu, quality of service, plate price and ambiance, that give direction to the program and design of the built environment. The designer's role is to engage the entire team in the comprehensive development of the restaurant concept and orchestrate all aspects of design to progress concurrently and on schedule.
Whether constructing a freestanding building or working within an existing tenant space, the restaurant space plan needs to balance diner comfort and experience with operational efficiency.
The menu will dictate the size of the kitchen, storage and service areas required. The number of seats in the dining area, or front of house, and the price point of the menu must generate enough income to support the size of the kitchen. In addition, traffic patterns for kitchen and wait staff, as well as for the diner, need to be carefully planned.
Circulation from the kitchen to the front of house must flow so that staff does not obstruct each other and therefore hamper the service quality. During this portion of the design, space requirements for electrical and mechanical equipment are frequently forgotten. Underestimating space required for water heaters, transformers, electrical panels and HVAC units often result in placing these items in essential storage areas, creating operational difficulties.
The design concept should engage the five senses. The built environment should enhance the diner's sensory experience.
Sight
The designer can control the visual experience of diners through the space plan and use lighting to create the right ambiance that reinforces the concept. Lighting should be flattering to guests and the food.
Sound
The acoustics of space, whether loud and lively or quiet and intimate, must be consistent with the concept.
Touch
Dining is a tactile experience. The designer must pay special attention to the things that diners come in contact with. The quality and texture of fabrics on chairs and booths, wood or stone on table or bar tops, flatware and place settings can all strengthen the concept.
Smell
Diners should experience the scent of good food; proper kitchen venting is important to mitigate odors that are undesirable.
Taste
The diner's experience of the food can be tainted by undesirable smells. Since taste and smell are closely linked, as above, proper kitchen venting is essential.
Opening a new restaurant concept can be a difficult yet exciting venture. The way in which the space is designed can help or hinder the success of the restaurateur. The challenge is to open on time with a complete, well-designed and constructed project that meets the owner's vision and budget goals. This will give the restaurateur a step up as they establish their restaurant within a very competitive market.
About the authors:
DONNA Bergeron is a senior associate and interior design manager and JILLENE COCHRAN is a project manager with Seattle architecture and interior design firm Weber + Thompson PLLC. Reach Shuman at dbergeron@weberthompson.com, or reach Cochran at jcochran@weberthompson.com