As customers head back to bars and restaurants now that many are reopening their doors after the pandemic, you may be wondering about what you can do to rejuvenate your restaurant to welcome people back in. Redesigning and changing layouts are all important in a post COVID-19 world, so putting some good thought into this is essential. You’re going to want to make your guests feel comfortable, confident, and welcome, so here are some ideas for how you can change up your restaurant in 2021.
Socially Distanced Layout
By creating a well thought out restaurant layout, you can be certain that your customers are not only staying as safe, but that they’re also keeping others safe. You’re going to have to focus more on how to best keep everyone as a good distance apart rather than think about how many tables you can pack into your restaurant. Whilst that’s going to mean you’re not going to be making as much profit as usual on those busy nights, there are some other benefits other than safety here. Freeing up more space both helps your servers get around, increasing efficiency, and gives the room a nicer, airier feel.
At One With Nature
Bringing the outdoors inside has been popular for a while now, and this trend doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Wooden flooring and countertops add a rustic, comforting feel, and plenty of plants can help to give the place a sense of nature. Greenery can also help with air quality to some degree, too. Turning your restaurant into green space can boost the mood of your guests too.
Keep Up With Trends
Now is the perfect time for you to update the entire look of your restaurant. Keep updated on current trends and look for predictions for the future. Everyone is just itching to get out and find new places to finally hang out with friends, so your restaurant needs to be it. Bold and eye-catching typography and signage are still very popular now, so find ways in which you can draw the eye of potential customers.
Bright colors and even neon lights are a slick and retro way to do just that. Companies like Echo Neon let you customize your neon signs so you can give your restaurant a fresh and fun look. Get some neon lights for the front of your establishment for added impact, or even use some to layout certain areas inside. They can even be used as cheeky and quirky décor or to add a bit of mood lighting to an area.
Outdoor Areas
Many locations have already put a lot of effort into sprucing up outdoor seating areas where available during the pandemic. If you have space for people to sit outside, you’re not only increasing your capacity, but you’re also giving people the option to still visit your restaurant if they’re uncomfortable with sitting indoors. There are also some fantastic design choices you can make for your outdoor area. Consider some unique outside booths complete with heaters for chilly nights.
You could also add an extra level of privacy to your tables by getting some transparent dining pods. These pods help make your outdoor area usable no matter the weather too. If you don’t have an outside area, think of some other options for innovation like expanding out on the front of the restaurant. This will also help to entice passersby who will see that the place is popular when outdoor seating is filled. If you’ve got the option, why not convert your roof into a rooftop dining area too? With a selection of plants around the perimeter and with a few canopies or umbrellas, a nondescript rooftop can become a beautiful Mediterranean terrace, hidden away from the rest of the world.
Drive-In And Takeaway
There are still lots of people that aren’t yet comfortable to be visiting restaurants and bars and that’s perfectly fine and should be respected. Show your understanding and support by providing your loyal customers with some great service with dedicated takeaway and delivery areas set aside for those that just want to enjoy your great food from the comfort of their own homes.
If you want to be a bit extra, why not embrace the resurgence of the drive-in dining craze of the 50s and have your servers bring food out to cars in your parking lot? You could even give the area its own atmosphere with music and lighting too. Working with food delivery services is essential to a successful modern restaurant business.
Whilst it’s nice to have people calling direct to order food and cutting out any middlemen, most people would prefer to use an easy delivery app to order. If you’re listed on these apps, you’re likely to bring in even more customers than normal too, as you’ll catch some people that are undecided on where to order from. Thanks to echoneon.com for consulting on this post.
