Most Common Architectural Mistakes in Restaurant Planning

Even if you already have an idea in mind of your future restaurant layout and design, double check, for it may be a true architectural disaster. To avoid common architectural mistakes, you should first learn which mistakes restaurants make most often.

The mistakes we most often see in common restaurant design layouts are:

Poor Ventilation Planning

Think about ventilation in both the seating area and the kitchen.

When the wrong system is in place, this can lead to:

• Safety hazards
• Smoke
• Unpleasant odors
• Excess heat

HVAC design experts should help with the ventilation planning of your system so that proper ductwork is in place to force heat out of the building.

Ignoring Workflow Priorities

Restaurant kitchen floor plans must make workflow management a priority. Ideally, you should sit down with managers, cooks and servers to discuss workflow.

A good example of a poorly designed kitchen is one where the dishes have to go back to be cleaned behind the cooks, past the prep area and all the way in the back. The lack of a proper entryway near the washing station will lead to:

• Potential broken dishes
• Interruptions
• Wasted time

A layout should account for the internal workflow priorities of the restaurant to ensure efficiency.

Holding Area Misjudgments

Holding areas should have:

• Ample space to sit and wait for a table
• Provide space between the door and the seating area
• Space from the nearest tables to not interrupt patrons eating

The larger the restaurant, the larger the holding area should be. If the holding area is too small, you risk guests leaving instead of waiting for a table to open up.

Delivery Areas Location

The delivery area may be situated at the back of the building, often right next to the kitchen, to prevent the delivery from coming through the front door and interrupting guests.

When the delivery is done with no guests noticing, you’ve properly designed a delivery area.

Improper Front Doorways Planning

Front doorways need to meet handicap accessibility laws, but they also need to be planned properly. Larger establishments will have two doors, and the main reason for this design is that it allows patrons to enter and exit the building at the same time with no one bumping into each other.

The front doorway should be properly lit, large enough for wheelchairs and also have a mat to allow patrons to dry their feet off when they’re entering the space.

The door should not open towards the interior of the building either — it’s a liability risk.

Wrong Seating

The seating area should be spacious enough for people to be able to walk by without bumping into guests eating.

You also want to allow for natural light to be a part of the dining experience, so there should be ample seating along the windows of the establishment.

There should be 3 to 4 feet between every table.

Poor Lighting

You need all spaces to be well-lit, and this is either achieved through natural or artificial lighting. Natural lighting is often best, and this means allowing the outdoor light to shine in through the windows.

Seating along the windows is a great option, but for dinner, you’ll need to consider lighting options.

Wide Bar Areas

Architecturally, the bar should not be so wide that the bartender has to walk across the floor for common items. In the ideal situation, storage behind and underneath the bar will allow the bartender to spend the majority of the time entertaining guests and serving drinks.

When a bar area is too spacious, it may be time to have more than one bartender available, or it may be time to have the space condensed.

Lack of Handicap Accessibility

The restaurant floor design must account for handicap accessibility. By law, the space needs to be handicap accessible so that guests that do have a handicap are able to:

• Enter the space
• Maneuver inside of the space safely
• Sit at the table
• Go to the restroom

The ADA does have guidelines on specific heights that tables need to be, door widths and other requirements under disability laws.

Surpassing Noise Levels

Acoustics are a very important part of the planning process, and it’s vital that the right design is chosen to keep the acoustical quality of the area appropriate. You’ll notice that a lot of restaurants still have:

• Tablecloths
• Carpeting
• Upholstery
• Curtains

Why?

Noise levels. The modern look with high ceilings and hard surfaces will cause echoing in the room, and without the right acoustic setup in place, the sound may exceed 110 dB in the space. The typical restaurant will have around 80 dB during the rush, but it’s important that when planning out the space, acoustic design is considered.

If you consider all of these points, you’ll be able to lower your risk of suffering from the same common architectural mistakes that many restaurant owners make.

Source: https://mcdonaldpaper.com/blog/architectural-mistakes-restaurants-should-avoid