The first thing that customers see when they walk into your restaurant is your interior design. As they sit in their seats waiting for a server, they’re looking around at everything in the lobby. In the back of their mind, they’re forming an opinion about your restaurant. You want this opinion to be a good one that will encourage them to keep coming back, so don’t skimp when it comes to interior design.

In the past, restaurant owners thought that making the dining area uncomfortable was the way to go. They thought that this tactic would increase sales because the customers would hurry and leave to make room for more people. However, that is not the case, especially for upscale restaurants. The dining room experience is just as important as the quality of the food and providing excellent customer service.

Create an Inviting Restaurant Lobby Design with a Good Floor Plan

The whole dining room experience revolves around the floor plan and seating. Your customers want to sit down, relax and enjoy their meal in comfort. If your dining room is so cramped that your customers are rubbing elbows with strangers while trying to eat their meal, chances are they won’t bother to come back. If they’re straining their eyes to see the menu or feel like they have no privacy, your guests are going to have a negative experience they won’t soon forget.

When designing the layout of your dining room, leave plenty of room between tables. You don’t want the back of the chairs touching each other when your customers are seated at adjacent tables. This will make them feel uncomfortable and it’s very intrusive. It’s also very important that you leave enough room in your booths. If your guests have to squeeze in and the table is so close it’s difficult to move, you’re not going to make a good impression.

Another thing to consider is the actual seats. Padded seats with a vinyl covering are a great choice. Your guests will be much more comfortable and the vinyl is easy to keep clean. Here at J. Design Group, our restaurant interior designers have experience creating gorgeous interior designs for five-star restaurants that are both comfortable and stylish.

Choose the Right Flooring and Design Theme

When choosing flooring, you want something that looks clean and modern but avoid materials that tend to be naturally slick. People dress up when they go out to eat especially when dining in a five-star restaurant. Women wear high heels and men have on dress shoes, both of which can have very slick bottoms. Choosing the best materials for your interior design is included in our services, so we can help you choose flooring that is durable, easy to maintain and one that naturally reduces the risk of slip and fall accidents.

The interior design theme of your restaurant lobby needs to go along with the main dishes you serve. For example, if you serve seafood as your main dish, you wouldn’t want an Italian style design. Choosing an interior design theme related to your specific restaurant will help set the mood and make the dining experience more enjoyable.

The experience your customers have when they dine-in has a major influence on how they rate your establishment. Create a comfortable dining room with an interior design that makes them feel at home and that suits your particular style of food and your customers will have a positive experience. As a result, you’ll increase business, build a loyal customer base and your restaurant will prosper.