Layout of restaurant dining area

Restaurateurs like to think that each seat can be the “best”, it goes without saying. When designing the dining area, a well-planned scheme carefully shapes the client’s perception with these elements:

. Table shapes, sizes and positions

. Number of seats at each table

. Multiple floors, steps, or booster seats

. Paintings, posters or murals.

. Type and intensity of lighting.

. Planters, scores or displays

. Attention to lines of sight, to block any unwanted view (bathroom, kitchen, assistance areas)

. Damping of distracting noises (loud dishes, outside visitors or construction)

. Placement of assistance areas (cafeterias, litter bins, etc.)

Each of the above considerations plays a role in creating the restaurant’s circulation pattern, the procedure for delivering food and beverages to customers. These are the logistics, methods, and routes used to transfer items from the kitchen area to the dining room tables, and finally to the dishwasher. How well can the waiters handle trays full of food? How far is it in the kitchen area towards the dining room? Exactly where are guest checks prepared for delivery to tables and where do customers pay for their food?

Does anyone have to go up and down stairs? How difficult is it for Mr. Smith to negotiate a way to his table on this busy day? When seating guests, is the hostess sometimes more like a visiting police officer? While other facets of the style may be offbeat, when it comes to flow patterns, the simpler the better. The safety of customers and employees must be paramount. Remember that most of us tend to walk to the right of other approaching people. Consider the room as a neighborhood and the flow from the main streets in that neighborhood. Avoid traffic congestion, and everyone likes to live there. Consider the maximum number of seats allowed in the room as well as the average time you want customers to spend at a table.

In general, the faster the rotation, the greater the need for clear, non-intersecting circulation patterns. On the contrary, if dining is to be pleasant, the circulation should be designed primarily so that the waiters appear as unobtrusive as possible. In environmental psychology terms, most people would prefer to sit with some sort of architectural fixture on at least one side of them—a wall, window, or column—that helps define their room. Another design rule is that tables of various styles and sizes should be mixed to produce visual harmony. An overly ordered formation evokes more the image of a military mess hall. And how close is too close when determining table position? Typically allow 15 square feet per person.