A good restaurant is characterised by tasty food. But is it only that? For some time now, a very important element of a restaurant, affecting its assessment by customers, has been the design and functionality of various types presented in it. What facilities and technological novelties should we pay attention to when designing the interior of a restaurant?
Between us, the tables
A concrete concept for a catering space is the best possible starting point. A coherent character of the entire interior is the basis for its functionality and aesthetic order. What is even more important – the style of the restaurant must correspond to the offered menu. Only when these two areas fit together can we speak of a kind of harmony.
The basic element of functionality, from the point of view of the customer, the staff and the kitchen, is the adjustment of the number of tables to the size of the establishment. The distances between the tables have to be carefully measured in order to ensure that the guests can move around freely and have enough privacy. Of course, this is not an easy task, especially when the space is small and the number of tables is high, but it is a necessary part of making sure that the establishment is well visited and well catered for.
In warmer months, small restaurants or cafes are rescued by gardens, which restaurateurs can locate, depending on the possibilities, either at the front of the premises (probably by the street or pavement), or at the back, when the building in which the restaurant is located has adequate space. Once the catering garden has increased the possibility of receiving guests, it is important to also maintain the principle of space between the tables. The restaurateur gets an additional advantage, when umbrellas protecting the guests from sun and rain and blankets for cooler evenings go hand in hand with the garden. In early spring or autumn, it is worth investing in heating umbrellas, which will keep the customers warm on cold days and evenings.
To choose from, to colour
Once you have a fully functional restaurant, it’s time to look at the menu. Eye-catching, clear, with logically listed items will guarantee a quicker selection and a pleasant impression, preceding the impatient wait for the ordered dish. The card should relate to the whole establishment. When creating it, you need to consider what would be the best solution – a menu in book form, on a single sheet of paper or perhaps as a QR code. There are many options, and you can always surprise your guests with something, thus adding another point to the general assessment of the place.
In Poland we have an increasing number of foreign tourists, foreigners coming to our country for work or for student exchanges. These are people from all over the world, who have the right not to know the Polish language. To make it easier for them to function in Poland, as well as to ensure a pleasant welcome, it is worth investing in a menu in English. This can be either a few separate copies, or an English translation below the items in Polish. This will certainly be a step in the right direction, showing that the restaurant is open to all guests, regardless of their country of origin.
Sometimes you need to powder your nose
An inseparable element of a restaurant feast is a visit to the bathroom, which shouldn’t differ in its aesthetics and equipment from the main part of the restaurant. If the restaurant is decently decorated, elegant, with character, and the bathroom is a neglected room with a non-functioning soap dispenser or lack of toilet paper, the overall impression that will remain in your memory after visiting the restaurant will certainly not be as positive as it may seem at first.
