Your restaurant's atmosphere keeps people coming to your restaurant. One survey found that 63% of diners rate ambiance and immersive dining experiences as the top priority when going out to eat.
Ambiance is so important to customers that they rate it higher than food quality.
If you own or manage a restaurant, a few changes to your interior and staff can go a long way in creating dining experiences that keep people coming back.
How to Curate Restaurant Mood
Want to create a mood that has customers telling their friends about your restaurant? You can make small tweaks, such as:
Focus on Your Lighting First
Restaurant lighting ideas should top your list. We've all been to eateries where the interior is dark and uninviting, and it was probably the first and last time you'll step foot in these establishments.
You can instantly transform a poor experience into an unforgettable one by following these steps:
- Add adjustable lighting. Create a cozy space by allowing your staff to adjust the lighting. For romantic dinners, dim the lights or turn them up during lunch when business meetings are more common.
- Remove the harsh lights. Warm lighting invites people into your space and keeps them happy. Harsh, bright lighting that is blinding is a big "no-no."
- Open your curtains. Natural light is almost always preferred to artificial lighting. Open up your curtains or blinds and let natural light flood the room. If you have the budget, you can even add expansive windows. But when adding windows, be sure they add to the space with views and lighting that people want to see.
- Strategic accents. You have beautiful artwork or decorative items on the walls. Add accent lighting to highlight special areas of the space.
Restaurant concepts have their own mood and vibe. Adjust your lighting to match the experience that you're trying to create.
And don't forget that your experience can vary from lunch to dinner. It's not uncommon to flood the space with natural light during lunchtime and then to create a more intimate space at dinner with table lamps.
Small lighting changes instantly transform spaces from forgettable to memorable, but lighting is just one piece of the entire puzzle.
Add the Right Sound Because Silence is Deafening
Restaurant concepts must consider sound. Sitting alone at a table in a restaurant is deafening without sound. Guests will hear every conversation, people chewing and plates clanking together in the back.
Effective sound management is more than putting on some soft jazz music at dinner or upbeat songs at lunchtime.
Level up your restaurant's sound with:
- Acoustic elements: If your space is too loud and it starts impacting the dining experience, acoustic panels can help. Adding panels that absorb sound and reduce echoes creates an intimate atmosphere for guests in upscale eateries.
- Background music: Select music that matches your diners. If you have an upscale Italian restaurant in NYC, soft Italian music is perfect. Diners that are open 24/7 may have televisions on in the morning, upbeat music at lunch and then jazz at night. Subtle music is better than it being too loud.
Balance your sounds so that they can be heard throughout the restaurant, but also test sound levels to be sure that your guests can comfortably talk to one another without yelling.
Consider Live Music
Your location will dictate whether live music is a good option for you or not. It's not uncommon for restaurants to hire live music for special occasions. Test out this option and consider offering more live options if it goes well.
Paint Based on Emotions
Did you know that there are emotions in color? Very Well Mind has a great beginner's guide to colors that you can follow. You'll find that there are symbolic meanings to colors that invoke certain emotions when people see them:
- Blue brings peace and wisdom
- Green works to add freshness to a room
- Yellow is associated with joy
If you have black walls in your restaurant, it adds a sense of mystery to the space, but that's not all. Black is also linked to making people feel sad, and who wants to eat at a restaurant that makes them feel sad?
Not me.
Work with a brand strategist who can help you select colors that work with your brand and will keep guests happy at the same time.
Create a Cozy Restaurant Ambiance With Your Furniture Layout
You've done a lot so far, but it's time to dig deeper and consider your overall furniture layout and style. If you don't have the budget for new furniture, skip the purchase while focusing more on the layout.
If people walk into your eatery and need to weave in and out of tables, it creates an anxiety-filled experience and they will be unlikely to return.
You can leave a lasting impression by choosing comfortable seats or booths that invite guests to linger around just a bit longer when they finish their food.
Of course, your furniture needs to match the rest of your space's aesthetics and be durable. A small diner in town may do well with rustic furniture and decor, while a fine dining restaurant must have upscale furniture to match the vibe you're trying to create.
And be sure that you have clear aisles that allow guests to walk to and from their tables comfortably without tripping on another person's chair.
Bonus Tip: Train Your Staff to Offer a Cohesive Experience
Friendly staff members who greet guests with a smile, offer recommendations and have a good personality will transform your restaurant's ambiance and dining experience. You can offer a sense of cohesion between visits by:
- Training your staff to greet customers.
- Making everyone wear a uniform that you supply.
- Offering training on how to properly pair drinks and meals.
Sometimes, it's the small things, such as a member of the waitstaff holding the door for a guest or pulling out their chair, that make a lasting impression.
Small, strategic changes to your restaurant allow you to create an ambiance that turns one-off guests into regulars. Start with the above recommendations that make sense for your current setup and adapt them to make your space more inviting.