Restaurant Updates. What’s Worth It.
Have you wondered lately if parts of your restaurant are looking as crusty as a day-old-baguette? Maybe it’s time for a refresh. A renovation can boost sales and keep your eatery competitive.
A Priceless First Impression 
Walk toward your place with a first-timer mindset. Do customers see your signage? Does your restaurant feel approachable and look like there’s a great meal ahead? When’s the last time you touched up your front door? An improvement outside can be as simple as a fresh coat of paint, replacing a torn awning or repairing brickwork. You want to look “worth it” in every way before guests make their way in.
Color Sends a Message
Invoke the perfect mood with the right tones for your restaurant’s brand and menu. Darker tones can make a space feel intimate. Lighter cream tones and whites open up a small space. If your restaurant is ethnic, leaning into the colors that celebrate its roots can make your space feel more authentic. Earth tones add a warmth to spaces that encourages upscale lingering. It’s said that terracotta or orange stimulates the appetite. And green can be an excellent choice for healthier, fresh menus.
Floor Them
Unavoidable spills can take a toll on even the most high-end flooring. If it’s time for an update, consider a low maintenance choice that’s forgiving on stains. Like walls, floors eat up most of the visual space in your restaurant. So, color is important here as well. The new engineered hardwoods work in just about any space these days, offering a modern look that’s attractive and easily cleaned.
The Bathroom is Big Deal
Many customers judge a restaurant’s cleanliness, reliability, and hospitality by the rest room. Don’t underestimate its importance. Everything needs to be in working order and look attractive from underfoot to overhead. Something as simple as a broken soap dispenser can get the wrong kind social media attention now that everyone’s “suggestions” are out there for the world to see digitally. New fixtures and an updated mirror can spiff things up more than you imagine. Consider putting the light on a dimmer too to soften the look.
Seating and Table Talk
Your furniture needs to look clean and feel comfortable. What’s faded or stained will be noticed from tablecloths to chairs or banquette fabrics. A wobbly table can try guests’ patience as they cut into their meal. Nobody likes that matchbook under the table leg trick. These elements of your restaurant’s décor are literally right under everyone’s noses. So, some staining, painting, re-upholstering, or replacing could be one of the smartest investments you make this year.
Smart Dining Upgrades
Technology is changing restaurants at warp speed. Is it time for you to upgrade software for bookings, waitlists, and reservations? Or to provide your wait staff with tablets? Guests who are digitally connected right from their tables get the bill faster or ask for a refill on their own terms. This improves a meal out while building loyalty and increasing revenue. Automation often reduces your operation costs and staffing needs as well.
The Green Outdoors
With all the attention being paid to outdoor seating these days, you may be considering sprucing up what’s beyond your interior. Would it serve you to add an awning for shade? Maybe you want a play area to keep young ones entertained. How about adding some new plants or maybe a fire pit for natural ambiance? It may also be time to add a formal patio or patio enclosure, which can add revenue with additional seating.
A restaurant often can’t do it all at once. Prioritizing makes sense. Sometimes financing does too. When adding an outdoor patio enclosure for instance, we connect our clients with a partner who works with restaurants. Their financing considers the seasonal revenue flux many eateries experience. Deferred or seasonal payment plans can make renovations possible if you want to get the work going right now. Taking pride in your restaurant can pay dividends financially. It also gives you, your staff, and your guests a lift emotionally.
