5 Ways to Renovate Your Restaurant That Will Boost Revenue

Every successful restauranteur remembers the excitement of opening the doors on that very first day. It was also a time when your dining room was buzzing with happy customers enjoying a night out with their family and friends. But those days are gone, and you are left pondering where they went. After all, nothing has changed. The menu is the same. The decor and furnishings are the same. It’s even the same old carpeting! That’s the problem. Nothing has changed.

The restaurant business is one of the most competitive industries. And many restaurants that have been around for years are now finding themselves struggling for customers. Many are losing patrons to trendy competitors that have popped up nearby. Patrons “eat” with their eyes first. So, serving great food isn’t enough. Diners want a clean and updated restaurant with a full sensory experience that is worth sharing with their Instagram friends. If your restaurant needs an update, here are five renovation ideas that will attract more customers and boost revenue:

Establish a Theme

What type of restaurant do you have? Do guests recognize it when they walk inside? Your guests should be able to instantly recognize the theme of your restaurant as soon as they enter the front door. Whether you are renovating seafood, Italian, Southwestern, or any other type of restaurant, the color schemes, light fixtures, décor, and furnishings should reflect your restaurant’s personality.

Reinvent Your Floor Plan

Your restaurant floor plan is the most significant factor that will determine whether your restaurant will succeed or not. Open floor plans are trendy because they allow patrons to see into the entire restaurant while waiting for a table. Typically, the dining room and bar will encompass approximately 60% of the total square feet. Ideally, you should have enough seating to comfortably accommodate as many guests as possible without making the restaurant noisy. But even if you have a small space, there are many creative ways to maximize the diner’s experience and revenue.

Update the Kitchen

The kitchen is the engine room of any restaurant. From the moment the order ticket prints out, the entire kitchen staff needs to work like a synchronized Swiss watch. Kitchen staff needs to make sure every order is meticulously prepped, executed and expedited to the table on time. Update your kitchen flooring, plumbing, and appliances to allow the order process to flow smoothly without wasting time-consuming back, and forth moves.

Modernize the Bar

With up to 50% of revenue on average coming from the bar, restaurant owners can’t afford to overlook this significant revenue stream when renovating their restaurant. There should be a natural flow between the restaurant and bar that fits with the theme. Also, the bar should be designed to allow multiple wells and workstations for bartenders to serve customers quickly. Other creative techniques, like highlighting the arrangement of liquor bottles along a back wall, will attract more guests and boost revenue.

Install New Light Fixtures

The lighting is an intricate part of a restaurant. It not only sets the ambiance, but it can also enhance the dishes that are presented to guests. That’s why restaurant owners should avoid using specific colors like green that tend to make meals look less appealing. When new LED light fixtures are installed, they can be programmed to control the amount of brightness that establishes the mood and highlights the restaurant features. Keep in mind that the lighting in the dining room and bar should be different than those in the kitchen, storage rooms, and walk-ins for employees to do their jobs safely.

When renovating or remodeling your restaurant, it is best to work with an experienced commercial contractor, like New Horizon Construction Services, with a vast restaurant experience. Utilizing our experienced designers, architects and other essential resources under a single roof will stretch your budget further with a faster renovation process.