Small restaurants do not mean fewer possibilities. The Iris Construction Management team offers small restaurant design services to restaurant owners to increase sales, maximize functionality, streamline processes and create efficient workflows.
Small Restaurant Interior Design
Interior design for small restaurants should achieve several goals:
- Reinforce your brand
- Maximize workflow for staff
- Create the ambiance of your space
- Encourage word of mouth
- Boost staff culture
Seating Chart
The first step in achieving these goals is optimizing your seating chart. Never forget your goal of providing a positive customer experience. The seating chart is a balancing act of maximizing profits and ensuring customer comfort.
Kitchen Layout
Your kitchen should be designed around an efficient workflow. The main components you need to think about are
- Equipment for washing, baking, cooking and frying.
- Refrigeration including freezers and ice machines
- Food prep areas
- Storage areas
Once you have your needs mapped out, you should be able to figure out a layout that will work best for your brand.
Decor
If you didn’t Instagram it, did it really happen? Adding an “Insta-worthy” spot to your space will give you free advertising when guests share their photos on their social media pages — plus it gives you more content to share on your own pages!
When considering restaurant interior design, don’t forget about the ceiling. Adding a unique light fixture, art on strings or complementary colours can elevate your restaurant design and make it feel more inviting.
Plants make everything better. They clean the air, make people happier, and look great too. The more plants in your space, the better.
Investing in local art is a great way to invest in your community, and have great conversation pieces in your restaurant. Try offering pieces for sale to benefit the artist, and have rotating pieces of art!
Small Restaurant Exterior Design
Exterior designs for small restaurants should have these common goals:
- Welcome walk-in traffic
- Communicate your brand
- Increase seasonal sales with outdoor spaces
Murals
Wall art is another great way to get your guests to advertise for you. A colorful mural will draw foot traffic to your restaurant. Collaborating with a local artist shows your establishment is connected to the community.
Utilize the Outdoors
So you don’t have much space indoors, but what about outside?
If you have roof access and can get the right permits, rooftop patios are a great investment in your space.
If rooftop dining isn’t an option, how about a patio? Often restaurants can obtain seasonal permits to build patios on sidewalks or roads. Plus, heaters can extend your outdoor season for longer periods.
Walk-up windows are great for convenience and can increase your sales without holding up a table. It’s for fast service and limited contact — and it keeps your dining-in customers separate from pick-up and delivery orders.
Signage
When thinking about small restaurant exterior designs, your signage should be the first thing that communicates your restaurant concept and brand to the public. Outdoor signs are responsible for bringing foot traffic to your establishment. Make sure your sign lights up at night to ensure your guests and passers-by can read it night and day.
Make sure you don’t sacrifice functionality for aesthetics in any part of your small restaurant design. Always keep your brand and customer experience top of mind.
Our small restaurant design and construction team will guide you from concept to completion including design, permits, and decor.
If you are looking for help with your small restaurant construction, give Iris Construction Management today.