Restaurant Furniture Blog

Humans have a strange habit of looking at things through blinkered eyes sometimes. Your restaurant furniture layout may look great in your eyes, but then, from what angle are you looking at it? If your looking from the kitchen, or perhaps from bar or front desk, it is not the same as from the front door or from the outside.

I wonder how many restaurant owners wander outside and look in at their restaurant? I know I have walked past many restaurants and a gaze through the window has been enough to keep me walking. That is not a great marketing tool yet it should be high on the list as a marketing tool. That old saying still holds true today - ‘first impressions count’. And they do.

Sure, if you can get them past that first impression you may win them over with the quality of the food and service - but how many customers are you losing along the way? Some restaurants don’t care, of course. They have built a reputation and enjoy full houses all the time - but they are few and far between. And most of them paint their windows or shroud them in curtains for added privacy.

You still have the problem of the front door. If you notice people entering, looking around, then leaving again - ask yourself why. Go and stand where they were standing. Does your restaurant furniture layout look busy? Does it look like diners are sitting too close to each other? Is it too dark, too light or too loud? Step outside, let your eyes become accustomed to the outside light, then step back - what do see and what is your first impression?

If it doesn’t look or feel right then change it. Your potential customers are voting with their feet and you are robbing yourself of the opportunity to make your restaurant a great dining experience - and that is the core of restaurant marketing. Get your restaurant furniture layout right from the customers perspective. After all, they are the ones who will make your restaurant a success.