Creating That Fine Dining Shine
Restaurant design hit me in the head this week! I was biking down one of Perth’s busy streets the other day and was blown away by the number of new restaurants that have opened their doors. Beats me as to why this particular street has become such a magnet for cooks of all different genres. But it has. And what really struck me in the head was how they all expect to still be cooking in the next six months!
Competition is good, I know, I know. Me and the crazy designer are constantly doing it – and I usually win, of course. But…what’s going to make a successful restaurant stand out from the crowd?
How is their design and fitout going to appease the hangrys of the local area?
When it comes to restaurant interior design, whether it be fine or not, a lot of the tips I shared in one of my previous posts on bar interiors still apply. However, with interiors suited for restaurants, there are a few more factors to consider.
Baxter’s Factors for Restaurant Design
Understand that whatever style of food your restaurant may offer, equipment needs to be purchased so you can cook it.
And when it comes to your restaurant interior design & fitout budget, the purchase of equipment could swallow-up a whole lot of your funds.
Following on from the first factor, all equipment will need services such as power, water, data, gas and extraction. Is there a grease trap in the restaurant kitchen? And is there a restriction on what extent of cooking you can do within the tenancy?
You may think ol’ Baxter’s questions are a little dull but hey, if you said “Ok, but where?/No/Yes”, you’re in strife already!
When you start to plan your restaurant interior, think about how you want it to work. How placement of displays, POS, fridges, and the actual kitchen will help streamline everyday tasks. Location of patron facilities such as toilets and waiting areas, if required, are really important.
Our crazy designer calls this ballooning and recommends feeling free and floaty when drawing these balloons in order to get the optimum result. What?
Factor #4 Branding vs Bragging
By all means, you need to make sure every person who dines in your restaurant will go forth and spread the word. You can easily encourage them by including your restaurant name or logo tastefully across signage, menus, tableware, etc. Just try to avoid placing a giant-sized burger in your window. Even Macca’s doesn’t do that.
Factor #5 Go to the Pro’s
Professionals that is. Creating your dream restaurant, no matter how big or small it may be, will cost you dollars. You want to ensure you get as much bang for your buck as possible and a professional interior design and fitout company can do just that.
This is where I get to plug Bellfort again…yay! And while I’m on a roll, have a look at our page dedicated to how we do our interior design.
So what do these five factors add up to? Success man, success! You can even view some of these successes in our project gallery.
I know how to squeeze your budget and ensure your flambé is not a flop. And if you need to talk about this further with me, pick up the phone. I’m always happy to help.
Waiter!
Cheers Baxter
79 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000, Australia
