What Do Guests Look for in Restaurant Atmosphere?

Restaurants are a luxury, and the best restaurants know how to create a luxurious atmosphere that helps guests to relax and enjoy themselves. A primary way to achieve the right ambience is with well-planned décor. But, what do guests look for in restaurant atmosphere? We have a few tips.

Set your mood

What do you want people to think of when they enter your restaurant? Are you about romantic dinners for two? A family-friendly atmosphere? A fun place for millennials to gather? You may even embrace some combination of guest demographics. But, no matter which guests you aim to appeal to, you need to have a cohesive décor theme to help set the right mood.

• Pay attention to your waiting area. The waiting area is (hopefully) not where your guests will be spending the majority of their time at your restaurant. However, that doesn’t mean its appearance should take a second-seat to the dining area. Think of your entry seating as a first impression. You want to make a good one, right? Leaving guests sitting somewhere uncomfortable and unappealing may leave them wondering whether what awaits is going to be quality. The best way to make an entryway inviting? Provide plenty of comfortable seating with restaurant chairs and banquettes. Guests may not consciously acknowledge good seating, but they definitely notice when it’s bad. Your chairs should be in good repair so that guests don’t start off their experience with complaints.
• Add an unexpected element. Here’s where you can make your restaurant stand out. If you are going for a classy, romantic atmosphere for instance, try adding a splash of colour to the room for a bit of fun. Offering a unique setting can really make a difference in guest experience. That’s why we offer the ability for you to design custom restaurant chairs to your specifications. Instead of filling your dining area with the same utilitarian chairs used everywhere else, make a statement to your guests that you provide an experience they will get nowhere else.
• Be playful. An overly serious atmosphere can kill any mood. When you’re choosing luxury furniture for your restaurant, don’t be too sophisticated. You want to come across as professional and high-quality, not stuffy. Really well-made chairs with bold colours or metal accents show guests that you understand they want to have a good time.

Consider the guests your audience

You don’t have to do dinner theatre to put on a show for your guests. Eating out is a form of recreation. They come to your restaurant to take in the atmosphere and the delicious food. If your restaurant looks like every other place they’ve seen, they may feel like they haven’t received value from their visit.

How do you make guests feel that rush of enthusiasm when they enter your business? Think about what your restaurant represents, and let that personality or philosophy come out in your décor. Humans are visual creatures by nature, and their expectations about your menu and restaurant experience revolve around what visually welcomes them at your place.

Don’t worry about templates

You don’t have to set up your entryway or dining area the same way as other restaurants. Many new places are having success by rethinking seating and atmosphere. Let’s say you’re going for a hip, casual place for millennials to gather after work. You might consider including a coffee table by the bar or in the waiting area. This creates a comfortable place for groups to gather for conversation with a drink while they wait for a table.

That being said, don’t stress yourself out trying to do something off-the-wall. If a furniture solution works naturally in your space, employ it. Otherwise, there’s a reason that certain set-ups are used over and over again—they work. You can still create a unique atmosphere without reinventing the wheel, but keep your eyes open for innovative opportunities that will give your restaurant the extra advantage.

Louis Interiors offers custom restaurant chairs and custom banquettes for high-quality establishments all over Toronto. Discuss your restaurant décor ideas with one of our team today. We’ll take your sketch or example photo and turn it into Toronto restaurant furniture you can be proud of.