The design and appearance of a business, brand, or venue says a lot about its vision and position in the industry. A five star establishment, be it a hotel or restaurant, will, for example, use lots of luxurious materials, textures, and colour palettes. Meanwhile, a themed restaurant will use interior design and a combination of visual and experiential elements of the design to really immerse guests in that theme for the extent of their visit.
In this blog post, we are exploring the impact that this level of design has on customer satisfaction – giving the customer what they expect and more, and meeting the gold standard in modern hospitality.
What customers are looking for in a modern restaurant experience
When customers visit a restaurant, they are no longer simply looking for a meal out – most are seeking an experience.
The key to standing out in the hospitality sector is to create an immersive experience that guests love, that no one else is doing to the same standard. It could lie in the theme of your restaurant, the quality of the food, the standard of service, or the immersive and interactive design aspects you integrate throughout the restaurant floor.
Whatever it is, great customer satisfaction stems from the experience – and that experience starts and ends with the setting you create and how you link it back to your brand.
The role of interior design in your restaurant
Restaurant interior design has a number of roles and responsibilities in the overall presentation and experience of the venue. Yes, it reflects your theme and the kind of immersive experience that you want to invite guests to explore, but it also contributes towards their emotions and responses, the quality of service, the ease of movement and interaction, comfort, and more.
Here are some of the main points for consideration:
- Colour psychology and the impact that your restaurants’ branding and interior colours have on the way guests feel in your restaurant. Do they feel relaxed with surrounding whites and willing to stay and spend more, or does a bright setting inspire energy and evoke a shorter visit?
- How does the layout and placement of furniture impact the way that guests move in your restaurant, and the standard of service they receive? Following from this, does the position of tables inspire intimate dinners and privacy or is your restaurant floor more crowded to create an energetic atmosphere?
- How comfortable are your furnishings? Do they leave guests feeling relaxed and welcome?
- Does your restaurant have standout features and memorable design elements which will delight guests and provide them with unexpected surprises?
All of these questions mark a good place to start when looking to connect the interior design of your restaurant with the experience and satisfaction levels of customers.
How to marry a great customer experience with your restaurant’s design
Done right, the interior design can inspire customers to relax into the experience and not only stay longer (thus spending more) but also commit to coming back in the future as a return customer or diner.
Interior design is as much a part of the customer experience as the food and can heavily impact the way that customers engage and interact with the space. Good navigation, comfortable furnishings, and memorable and standout features are all components in interior design, and can elevate the customer experience ten-fold, therefore contributing towards a high level of customer satisfaction.
What’s more, the décor within your restaurant can inform the expectations that your customer will have when they enter your restaurant, with your job being to meet if not exceed those expectations through every touchpoint of the customer’s journey.
All of this demonstrates how the look of your restaurant impacts the satisfaction of paying customers – so how do you make sure the two connect cohesively?
It all comes down to strategising before you start the build and fit out of your restaurant. Knowing who your target customer is will help to inform the various touch points that are necessary for their satisfaction, with aspects such as theme, experience, value, quality of food, standard of service, comfort, and memorable features all key factors to consider.
Here at Carroll Design, we work with restaurants old and new to make sure that every component of their design aligns with the experience that they want to provide to their customers. For information on how we could help you, whether for a new restaurant concept or a renovation, get in touch today.