How to Design Restaurant Exteriors That Customers Love

A well-decorated and balanced restaurant’s interior doesn’t always mean a greater inflow of customers. People passing by won’t ever know what’s happening behind closed doors. All that matters to them is how decorated and well-kept the exterior is. Several surveys are there to prove this statement. In other words, a restaurant exterior design is the first thing your diners will notice. So, it can either make or break your brand in the long run.

Neglecting it may cost you diners and revenue channels. The exterior design plays a crucial role in building your brand identity. It helps your restaurant stand out from the competition. That being said, we have crafted an inclusive guide below, explaining everything you need to know about restaurant exterior design. With this, you can transform your restaurant’s identity and attract more potential diners in no time.

What Should You Know About The Exterior Restaurant Design?

Restaurant design, whether interior or exterior, is all about experimenting and trying new, fun things. However, as you might have noticed by now, there are so many elements and considerations for restaurant exterior design. So how do you come up with practical solutions with going overboard or straining your budget? Well, here are a few things to ask:

• Is your design choice practical?
• Does your design fall in line with your business plan?
• Are you compromising on functionality by adding aesthetics?
• Does your design improve the dining experience of your guests?
• Is your design confusing?
• Are you just copying a concept from a competitor?

How Do You Design the Exterior of a Restaurant?

1. Identify Where Your Customers Are Coming From.

As obvious as it might sound, you must know your target clients. Who are your guests? How are they reaching your restaurant? You must answer these questions before designing your restaurant exterior. Did you know restaurant entrance design depends on whether your customers arrive by foot, car, or public transit? 

For example, if your guests come by car or foot, it means that they may already be aware of your restaurant and have planned their visit, in which case, your restaurant entrance may not be critical. On the other hand, if your restaurant is accessible by public transport and located in a busy area with a lot of foot traffic, you need a visually stunning entrance to set you apart from your competitors and lure new guests.

2. Design an Awesome Exterior Wall For Your Restaurant

Whether you have a café or an upscale, fine-dining restaurant, designing a stellar exterior wall can make a huge difference. You can easily leverage it to reflect on your restaurant’s vision or illustrate your brand’s USPs. Whatever the design is, it must be aligned with your restaurant’s theme. 

For example, you can use a clean, glass wall for a café or a breakfast diner. But your customers will expect more privacy when it comes to high-end restaurants. So, you can go with a vintage-styled brick wall design with small rustic, country-style windows. 

1. Use enough lighting to illuminate the exterior of the restaurant, like accent or façade lights.
2. You can also consider adding a large photo or a mural. It will greatly enhance the aesthetics of the restaurant’s wall.
3. Adding vines and other types of plants can draw your diners’ attention instantly.
4. For glass walls, ensure they remain spotlessly clean throughout the day.

3. Design a Welcoming Entrance That Your Customers Love

When it comes to a restaurant outside design, consider transforming a boring entrance into a welcoming one. It will make your customers feel at ease as they walk by, leading to eager hearts that will love exploring your restaurants further. From bold-colored doors to vertical garden walls at the entrance, there are numerous ideas you can look into. Below we have illustrated a few examples of restaurant entrances creating a welcoming and warm atmosphere.

 

1. Larger glass doors with bold-colored frames are best for creating an open and inviting feel.
2. Hang flower baskets from the awning to create a cute and inviting entrance.
3. Add a warm touch to your restaurant’s entrance by installing a green archway with string lights.
4. Use large vintage sconces or wall-mounted lights to illuminate the entryway. Leverage lights with a yellowish or amber tone to create a warm mood.

4. Make the Most Out of Your Outdoor Space

Do not limit yourself to only the walls or entrances for a restaurant exterior. You should also focus on smart seating arrangement and engaging lighting, you can leverage these elements to transform the unused space into something more useful and attractive.

1. Add benches, rattan chairs, and bistro tables to your restaurant furniture to maximize the outdoor seating capacity.
2. Add a fire pit or an artificial patio heater during colder months.
3. Install colorful awnings with potted flower planters to create a shade for the outdoor space.
4. You can also add neon signage to the outdoor space to highlight your brand.
   
   
   
   
5. Add a chalkboard in the outside space with your special menus or menu board with offers for everyone to see.
6. You can install a small water fountain in the outdoor space.

5. Use Durable and Aesthetic Materials

The choice of materials will have a great impact on your restaurant exterior. So, do not hold yourself back in this aspect. 

1. A restaurant focusing on sustainability and eco-friendliness should incorporate green planters, upcycled butcher block table tops, and wooden restaurant chairs.
2. Metallic furniture is the best accessory to enhance the industrial and rustic feel of your diner.
3. Rattan furniture will give warm Bohemian style and make your customers feel at ease.

It’s essential to choose durable materials with excellent craftsmanship for your restaurant. Do not invest in cheaper furniture or decorative elements as that can make a negative impression on your potential customers.

6. Align Your Design With Your Brand Identity

The restaurant exterior ideas you choose must be aligned with your brand. Only then you can make the desired impression on your customers. Below are some ideas you can incorporate. 

1. The color scheme should reflect your brand’s uniqueness. For instance, a rustic brand look should have warm, earthy colors. On the contrary, a modern finish can be achieved using bold red and black colors.
2. Add more texture to the exterior with different material combinations, like glass and wood, metal and wood, and so on.
3. Use signage on the door to make your brand stand out in the crowd.
4. The brand’s logo should be large enough so that diners can read it from a far distance.

Modern Restaurant Exterior Design Trends / Ideas

1. Modern minimalism (Clean lines, glass facades)

Glass walls wrapping around the entire building are the most common element you will see in most modern restaurant exterior designs. Coupled with clean and sharp decorative lines will enhance the overall aesthetics, giving a sleeker look. You can also add minimalist lights to take the décor to the next level. 

2. Sustainable & eco-friendly designs (Recycled wood, green walls)

For eco-friendlier exterior design, go with furniture elements made from recycled wood. You can also invest in a green vertical wall on the outside or a green archway with flowers popping here and there. Use upcycled materials, like wooden frames, potted plants, and others to design a stunning and welcoming entrance for your customers.

3. Cultural fashion designs (America)

Leveraging cultural fashions can boost your restaurant outside design instantly. For instance, a classic American diner can leverage a retro-styled décor while a Western diner will focus on a Cowboy or Texas theme. You can also add murals referencing American history to add a cultural touch to your restaurant. 

4. Lighting innovations (LED neon signs, solar-powered lights)

Do not limit yourself to the traditional restaurant lights. Go bold with innovations in this department. For example, you can install neon signage made from LED string lights. If it has an RGB lighting system, the décor will act as a cherry on top of the cake for attracting potential diners. Use solar-powered lights for the exterior space to save utility bills and focus on sustainability. 

5. Outdoor seating & greenery style

Make use of the unutilized space by arranging outdoor patio seating. Go for two-seater and four-seater arrangements to accommodate your diners’ needs. Add greenery as much as possible to make them feel more comfortable and at ease.

 

What Is The Best Color For Restaurant Exterior?

Selecting the proper color for your restaurant exterior is never random or arbitrary. It requires careful deliberation as your restaurant’s perception, success, and your guest’s dining experience depend on the colors you choose. Every color has its own psychology and uniquely influences your guests. Here are some examples of how to create an inviting restaurant exterior for your guests with colors:

• Warm colors like orange, yellow, or red positively impact the appetite of your guests. Red, in particular, helps create a luxurious and inviting atmosphere and encourages impulsive eating.
• Brighter hues instill a sense of urgency and are useful for high table turnovers in fast food joints.
• The green color reflects hygiene and sustainability. Green accents in restaurants reflect healthy menu choices and a natural setting.
• Since natural foods are seldom available in blue or purple, avoid using these colors in your restaurant.
• Dark colors like brown and black highlight sophistication and are perfect for high-end and fine dining restaurants.
• Gray, light brown, and beige are neutral colors that create a warm theme and emphasize your restaurant’s food and service.
• White, although difficult to maintain, showcases minimalism and cleanliness.

 

Create An Exterior That Your Customer Loves

Focusing on the restaurant exterior design will help you create a stellar and eye-catching look. Besides, it’s important to make the right impression on your potential diners and influence their decisions. After all, you need to make yourself appear promising just by the looks and feel of your restaurant’s exterior. No one has time to walk into the diner and then decide if it’s worth spending time and money. So, do not limit yourself only to the interior design and décor. Whether you want to install neon signage for your brand logo or create a green archway with fairy lights, exterior designing can make a huge difference.

FAQs

1. What is the best color for the exterior of a restaurant?

When you have to choose the right color and shade for the restaurant exterior, consider the target audience, and cuisine. Yellow, orange, and red are best for creating a warm ambiance. On the contrary, black and dark olive green will add more elegance to the exterior. For natural tones, go with earthy brown and green hues. 

2. Which color is generally avoided in restaurants?

Blue is one of the colors that is avoided in most restaurants as it is associated with sterility and coldness. You won’t even find restaurants using gray and muddy brown tones as they suppress the mood greatly. bright white can be too sterile while going for a complete black look will make the restaurant look too intense.

3. Which color is attractive for a restaurant?

A fancy restaurant exterior with energetic vibes should have warm colors like yellow and red. If your diner is more inclined towards earthiness, go for forest green, beige, and terracotta colors. 

4. Which layout is best for restaurants?

Your restaurant’s layout should be spacious enough to allow easy movement without any risks of collisions. A linear setup will help you maximize the use of narrow spaces. For an organized flow, go with a grid layout. If you want to give a variety of dining experiences to your customers, use a zonal layout.