Restaurant Designs

Create Not just a Captivating Restaurant Design But An Unforgettable Experience  

Has it ever happened to you that you entered a restaurant and you instantly feel impressed, comfortable and excited to have a great time in the space? That is what restaurant design is all about. Restaurant design is a holistic process which includes optimizing the lighting, ambience, furniture elements, wall paints, decor, acoustics, and other sensory elements to create an immersive dining experience. 

Benefits of a Perfectly-Planned Restaurant Interior Design

A restaurant design can make your restaurant look more visually appealing and relaxing and provide the consumers with an experience that they would like to revisit the place for. There are several benefits of having a well-designed restaurant.  

First Impressions: A good restaurant design helps in creating an everlasting impact on diners. This first impression is affected by the entrance, facade, interior walls, ceiling design, water features etc.

Brand Identity: The restaurant's design reflects the restaurant’s brand image and what it stands for. The image that the restaurant is aiming for can be a cosy cafe, a fine dining establishment, a trending fast food chain or anything you want. Different brand identity requires different considerations when it comes to deciding on a restaurant design idea. 

Comfort and Atmosphere: A thoughtful consideration and implementation of an interior design enhances the comfort and atmosphere of your esteemed restaurant business. Seating arrangements, lighting, colours and textures all contribute to the entire customer experience during the visit. Creating a comfortable and inviting space encourages customers to sit around for longer which in turn leads to more orders and also makes customers more likely to revisit in the future. 

Flow and Functionality: An efficient layout that makes the flow of people around the restaurant easy and comfortable is also an important factor. A better flow path allows for easier movement of not only customers but also of the food and waiters, which gives a better experience to the diners. 

Defining Your Restaurant's Concept For Relevant Designs 

When it comes to designing a restaurant, the first and most critical step is to determine how you would want to come across to the customers. This has major effects when it comes to the clients you want to attract, the prices you are charging, future expansion plans etc. Below are a few different types of Restaurant Concepts,

Family Style or Casual Restaurant Design

This kind of restaurant aims to create a casual space that is perfect for a casual dinner or lunch for a family or families. These restaurants feature a comfortable and kids-friendly environment and can also provide crayons or another form of entertainment to keep the children occupied.
These restaurants aim for blue-collar, middle-class workers and the average price for a one-course meal is neither too high nor too low. 

Fast Casual Restaurant Design

These restaurants are best described as upscale fast-food restaurants. It aims to serve its diners at a quicker pace as compared to casual restaurants while maintaining the ambience as more upscale than a normal fast food establishment. These restaurants offer, self-service but provide the food with more superior ingredients as compared to fast food joints. They make use of disposable packaging and also serve their food at the restaurant for dine-in. 
These restaurants target a price bracket between Casual Restaurants and Fast Food restaurants.

Fast Food Restaurant Design

These restaurants are also known as QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants) this is due to their characteristic of providing food at a much quicker rate as compared to casual and fine dining restaurants. This is achieved by producing food in mass so that the time to produce the food is significantly minimised. They provide minimal seating with an ambience comparable to that of a cafeteria. These restaurants prepare food in a to-go manner and are largely a part of a larger franchise.
These joints usually aim to provide food that is more affordable as compared to other kinds of restaurants, which is achieved by producing food in larger quantities. 

Fine Dining Restaurant Design

Fine Dining Restaurants aims to provide its diners with a luxurious and relaxed experience. These establishments feature an expensive environment and offer expensive food and services. These restaurants provide expensive sets of linens and furniture and employ highly professional chefs and servers. The menu often goes through minor changes, featuring daily specials, soup of the day, etc. All these changes are kept per the theme of the restaurant. In theory, any kind of cuisine can have a fine dining concept, but usually, French, Italian, steak and seafood restaurants are considered fine dining.
These restaurants aim to provide a complete meal which includes, salads, appetizers, main course and desserts. Hence, these restaurants offer the most expensive dining experience. 

Cafe Design

This concept is growing at a rapid pace in this current era. This kind of establishment often features coffee, sandwiches, snacks, desserts and cakes. They do not aim to provide a complete lunch or dinner but are more suited for business interviews, small get-togethers, etc.
They can be expensive but usually aim to provide an intimate and cosy space at an affordable price to its diners. 

Trendiest Styles To Create a Unique Restaurant Plan 

As we discussed above, restaurant design affects the footfall, experience, quality of service and sales of the restaurant. Below are some of the designs that can help increase the aesthetic of your restaurant. It is critical to add your personal touches to the design you select to help you stand out in the crowd and to give yourself a distinctive quality from other restaurants following the same style.

Modern Restaurant Design

This restaurant aims to target the upper middle class of society as they are more likely to dine out. This design features old paintings and other design elements to make the restaurant visually appealing. They make use of natural lights but incorporate dim lighting to create a more intimate space at night. They incorporate dark colours or yellowish colours and lighting is used to enhance the colour of the restaurant walls. They create a minimalist and luxurious environment at the same time. The furniture is upholstered with premium leather and also aims to make the experience more luxurious. They also feature historical elements to give the restaurant a sense of history and culture. 

Sustainable Cafe and Dining Designs 

These designs aim to incorporate natural elements, plants, grass and trees and make use of sustainable elements. The use of flowers and shrubs helps make the environment appear green and also helps to purify the surrounding air, which ensures that the diners have a comfortable and refreshing which makes them stay longer and increases the sales of the place. Incorporating hanging shrubs and pots while maximising the natural light enhances the appeal of the design. 

Italian Style Restaurant 

These restaurants aim to provide a perfect place for Italian and European cuisine. This design is usually used in fine-dining restaurants. European and especially Italian cuisine frequently use wines, hence, wine cellars become an integral part of these restaurant designs. These designs feature wall paintings and drawings of the Roman era and the catholic churches. The lighting fixtures of this restaurant design aim to provide a darker look and bold feel to the restaurant. The restaurant usually makes use of the mid-century and provincial European style of furniture which gives the restaurant an extravagant and classic appearance. 

Classic Design 

This design makes use of old-school decoration elements like chalkboards for special or famous menu items or the addition of old-school furniture made out of wood. This design helps in making your restaurant hold more value and heritage. This idea can be perfectly used in small cafes, that offer a cosy place for couples or friends.  

Key Elements of a Restaurant Design Ideas 

1. Entrance & Facade: The entrance sets the first impression for diners. It should be inviting, well-lit, and aligned with the restaurant’s theme or brand. The facade design should reflect the restaurant’s identity, whether it’s sleek and modern, rustic, or whimsical. Consider elements like signage, lighting, and landscaping to create an enticing entryway.

2. Floor Plan & Layout: An open and uncluttered layout facilitates movement for both customers and staff. Zones for dining, bar, and waiting areas should be strategically placed. Efficient kitchen placement ensures smooth workflow. Consider accessibility, traffic flow, and sightlines.

3. Ambience & Mood: Lighting plays a crucial role. Use a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to create different moods. Colours influence emotions—warm tones evoke cosiness, while cool tones feel refreshing. Acoustics matter—control noise levels with materials like fabric, wood, or acoustic panels.

4. Seating & Furniture: Seating should be comfortable and functional. Consider booth seating, banquettes, and various table sizes. Furniture materials impact aesthetics and durability—choose wisely between wood, metal, or upholstered options. Balance maximising seating capacity with maintaining comfort.

5. Decoration & Theming: Decor elements reinforce the restaurant’s concept. For instance:

• Farm-to-table themes might incorporate natural materials and greenery.
• Fine dining establishments may opt for elegant, refined decor. Artwork, wall textures, and decorative objects contribute to the overall ambience.

Hire a Restaurant Interior Designer For An Enchanting Design 

Restaurant Designs can help make or break your business. These designs, however, are not evergreen and hence require constant work to improve the ambience and keep up with the everchanging trends. This constant upgrade ensures that your establishment stays in business and continues to be profitable. However, for the design or even the renovation of the restaurant, you need the help and expertise of a professional. The restaurant interior designers are professionals who have undergone extensive training and possess specialisation in the creation of superior plans and designs and executing them for an immersive restaurant experience.

FAQS

Q.1. How do you design a restaurant interior?
A.1. There are a plethora of restaurant interior design ideas to create a beautiful and functional interior, some of which are as follows: 

• Make a clear concept and perspective. 
• Choose an appropriate theme and colour palette.
• Create functional zones- dining areas, kitchens, waiting areas, and restrooms.
• Incorporate comfortable and theme furniture.
• Choose the right lighting fixtures and decor. 
• Ensure good ventilation and acoustics.
• Infuse the space with a unique idea such as greenery, innovation or others. 

Q.2. Which type of layout should I choose for my restaurant?
A.2. The most popular and preferred choice for a restaurant layout is the kitchen floor plan layout as it is the best option for quick service and helps with easier workflow in a space where large quantities of the same dish are prepared. There are numerous islands also installed for better management and workflow. 

Q.3. What is the cost of the interior design of a restaurant in India?
A.3. The costs of undertaking the overall interior design of a restaurant typically range from Rs 1,000 to 3,000 per square foot, depending on the design complexity, materials, and finishes. In an estimated value, the budget for a small restaurant can start from Rs 10-15 lakhs and go higher for larger spaces or premium designs.

Q.4. How can I make my restaurant look attractive?
A.4. The diverse trends in the context of restaurant interior designs often aim to enhance the aesthetic appeal of a restaurant. Some of the common trends include the following: 

• Create a unique theme or concept that in itself stands out like a flower theme, web series theme, books theme or jungle theme. 
• Go for creative lighting fixtures based on the theme. 
• Make a bold statement with the entrance.
• Go for more interactive features such as a photo booth, AI-powered systems, etc.
• Create a proper feel with acoustics, lighting and colours.
• Use different elements such as greenery, cute stuff to click pictures with, and others.