When it comes to running a successful restaurant, there are so many boxes that need to be ticked. Obviously having top-notch food prepared and presented well, served by great staff and paired with a great drink is absolutely essential, but that is really just the tip of the iceberg.
There are so many problems that crop up each day and need to be taken care of, along with long-term plans and contingencies and the general look and atmosphere that you are trying to create.
The interior and exterior of your establishment need to be on point, and with design trends ever-changing, here we will take a look at some of the current most popular choices as well as a few classics that never go out of style.
What are the new design trends in the restaurant business?
While there is never going to be simply one way of running a restaurant, and plenty of businesses will always try to be unique, break away from what is trending and try something different, there are certainly some strong patterns that most restaurants are likely to follow this year.
One of the biggest and arguably most essential of these trends is the move towards nature, with green concerns at the top of many people’s list of priorities. This can manifest in so many ways in life and in the restaurant business, from sourcing local ingredients to interesting dishes being created with seasonal vegetables, and it is spilling over into the décor as well.
The expression ‘a feast for the eyes’ is particularly apt when describing how many top restaurants try and give their diners an immersive and complete experience, and here are some of the design trends that are making that happen this year.
Interior design trends for restaurants
When it comes to your décor, the most important thing to remember is to stay true to your brand and what you hope to achieve. If you are a tiny cosy restaurant perfect for a romantic candlelit dinner, you won’t design your space the same way that a larger, more modern gleaming restaurant would.
That being said, there are certain trends that will work for everyone, or that can be tweaked and adjusted to better suit you. Here are some of the top interior design trends at the moment to help inspire you:
Greenery
Along with the move to make menus more green, restaurants are adding extra greenery themselves and for a multitude of reasons. Plants not only work great as decorations, bringing colour and vibrancy into a room, but they also actively improve the air quality as well. Plants can reduce stress, lighten the mood and help create the kind of atmosphere in which your guests can truly relax and enjoy themselves.
Themes
One of the most important rules of interior design is to try not to confuse people with a mix of too many styles and themes. Instead, you should pick the one that best fits and run with it. This can be all-encompassing, transforming your interior so that it truly resembles the country that your food comes from, or whichever theme you have chosen.
For a fully immersive look, this can be easier if you start with a fitout, for example, if you wish your restaurant to resemble a ship or rainforest, but can also be achieved through refurbishment if needed.
Communal dining areas
With everything that has happened in the last few years, people are leaning more towards trying to connect with one another rather than valuing their privacy and space. Many restaurants are following that trend by establishing communal dining areas so that people can come out alone but don’t have to eat that way if they don’t want to.
Think and eat local
As well as more ingredients tending to come from local areas, restaurant interiors are also following that trend by displaying art by local artists, using local crockery and emphasising that they are a part of the local culture.
Exterior design trends for restaurants
The exterior of your restaurant can be just as if not more important than the interior. People will walk past and take their first impressions of your business from what they see outside, and if that impression isn’t great, they may never set foot inside. Here are some of the top trends for exteriors at this time:
Once again, the theme that you select is hugely important and you can highlight who you are and what you do before your diners reach the table with the right kind of exterior. From your sign to your windows to the colour that you choose, you want your customers to understand your theme and not be confused or disappointed when they sit down.
Colours
Along with the trend towards greener restaurants, choosing earthy colours is very popular right now. Showing off your greenery outside as well as in is a key trend currently, as are warm colours that make people feel more welcome.
Lighting
Not just a priority inside your restaurant, your lighting outdoors can say a lot about you. Twinkling lights and torches are popular right now, particularly if they match the theme that you are trying to get across. People are more likely to approach a restaurant with welcoming lights and candles than one without.
Commercial shade sails
Your outside areas should look great while also offering a choice of seating options and cover. In the wake of the pandemic, more people enjoy eating outside where possible, so now is a great time to find out more about commercial shade sails.
What are the problems faced by restaurants?
Restaurants face all kinds of problems, from customer complaints to issues with suppliers and products to pest infestations, and all must be addressed instantly or ideally before they even happen at all.
Restaurants pay a certain pest control cost each month, or however often the company demands, to ensure that they have taken every precaution to prevent against rats, cockroaches and any other pest that might cause health problems, customer panic, and even lead to the restaurant being closed.
Among so many other issues, the upkeep of all the furniture, and keeping everything looking great and up to the right standards can be tough. While all restaurants have cleaning staff to ensure that their property is kept spotless and hygienic, keeping the place looking as good as it can is another matter.
What is the solution to the problems faced by restaurants?
For many of the issues facing restaurants, having the right staff in place and ensuring that you have planned for as much as you can will prevent them from actually occurring. Top restaurants won’t have pest issues or will deal with them instantly if they arise.
When it comes to ensuring that your furniture and furnishings are up to snuff, regular renovations and maintenance should take care of that. You should always check everything over before opening each day, and take the opportunity to update what is needed as you adapt to the latest trends.
Final thoughts
What is popular and trendy is constantly in flux, and changing everything about your restaurant each time something new comes along would be expensive and wasteful. However, there are ways in which you can easily incorporate current trends and stay true to the business you are in. The move towards greener restaurants doesn’t seem likely to go anywhere any time soon, so consider getting some plants and investing in your local area today.
