Over the last several months, Covid-19 has marred the day to day operations of every industry. The hospitality industry is probably one of the most affected sectors since the onset of Covid-19. However, as vaccination progresses throughout the country, there are signs of optimism. Businesses are looking forward to hosting their guests again. From restaurants to cafes, from recreational facilities to hotels, the owners are gearing up to accommodate the latest policies to ensure the safety of their patrons. Reviewing some of the upcoming restaurant design trends can give a business ideas to carry them through 2021.
Read on to know how the restaurant industry will change in 2021 and how you can adapt to these changes for a profitable business.
Top Expected Restaurant Design Trends for 2021
From restaurant design to takeaways, from restaurant furniture to contact-less dining, here is what to expect in 2021 for restaurant design trends:
1. Express or Ghost Kitchen Concept
As the people are still reluctant to dine-out with their loved ones, Ghost Kitchen concepts have become popular. Also known as Express Kitchens, Ghost Kitchen is the perfect way to optimize your restaurant area and cut-down your operational costs. Instead of offering traditional dining and waiting areas in your restaurant, you can opt for a kitchen-only concept that offers takeaways. While ghost kitchens are delivery-only restaurants, you can add waiting and ordering kiosks. The sight of food getting prepared in a visible kitchen instills confidence in your patrons.
2. Outdoor Dining: Traditional Yet Popular Trend
The Covid-19 pandemic has emphasized the outdoor dining concept like never before. Air-conditioned cozy dining areas have been placed on hold as patrons are opting for ventilated, outdoor dining. Being amidst nature elevates the dining experience. Adding patio furniture in your sidewalk or parking lot is an efficient way to extend your outdoor seating capacity. In many districts, local authorities have allowed additional restaurant outdoor seating by prohibiting vehicles in adjacent streets.
3. Rooftop Dining: Among the Attractive Restaurant Design Trends
If yours is a restaurant in a congested part of the city, extending outdoor seating might not be straight forward. In such cases, you can utilize rooftop or balcony to provide outdoor dining to your guests. While decorative plants or umbrellas create an inviting dining space in warm weather, you can use bonfires, blankets, heaters, etc., to create a cozy dining area during winters. Beautiful views of the bustling city from a high rise add to the dining experience in your restaurant.
4. Trendy Warm Colors and Furniture
Of late, restaurant design has experimented with several themes, decor elements, and furniture. From vintage to trendy, from minimalistic to cheeky, from retro to industrial, restaurant owners have experimented with several ambiances in the past. 2021 is most likely to witness a departure in restaurant design. Restaurant owners will prefer rich and inviting colors like mustard, peach, mahogany, etc. Similarly, restaurant furniture will feature complimentary materials like wood, brass, leather, etc. In a nutshell, rather than being overbearing or intimidating, the restaurant theme will be practical yet inviting, elegant yet cozy.
5. Dining Pods: Becoming Popular Restaurant Design Trends
Restaurant owners are gearing up to offer intuitive dining experiences to their guests amidst the social distancing norms. The evolution of dining pods is one such concept. Dining pods, made from Plexiglas sheds or transparent, plastic igloo tents, offer isolation and privacy.
Whether it is your restaurant’s parking area or backyard, you can set up dining pods with minimal effort or investment. However, ensure proper ventilation and sanitization before offering dining pods to your customers. Similarly, as the temperature dips, it might be a smart idea to opt for space heaters to provide a cozy and comfortable outdoor dining arrangement.
6. Increase in Indoor and Outdoor Seating Space
The social distancing guidelines ask for increasing the separation between two tables in your dining area. Whether yours is an indoor or outdoor seating restaurant, you will need additional space to match your restaurant’s capacity. You can make up for the lost space by adding outdoor seating.
However, it might not always be possible to expand your dining area, and you must look for alternate ways. One smart approach would be to invest in space-efficient restaurant chairs and tables. From traditional metal chairs to minimalistic plastic chairs, these restaurant chairs offer comfortable and high-quality seating. These commercial grade chairs are durable and come in several attractive styles to match and complement any theme in your restaurant.
7. Development of Farm-to-table Concept
As people become more cautious about the quality of food and its ingredients, the revolutionary farm-to-table concept is increasingly popular. Under this concept, the restaurants purchase the ingredients directly from the producers without involving a local distributor or store.
As the restaurants get fresh produce straight from farms, the guests feel more confident about the ingredients. This concept thrives on the trust between the farmer, restaurant, and its customers. Although it restricts your restaurant’s menu as the ingredients keep on fluctuating with the seasons, the trust from your customers is worth taking the extra mile.
Summing it up:
From contactless dining to digital payments, from optimizing the restaurant’s space to outdoor dining, dining post-Covid-19 will be a new experience completely. As the onus shifts to the proper sanitization and hygiene, you may need to make considerable changes in your restaurant’s layout. The design trends mentioned in this article give you a glimpse of what to expect in 2021. If these trends are any indication, the restaurant business will never be the same. While some changes are temporary, others will stay for a long time.
