How to Design a Coffee Shop in Order to Increase Profitability Coffee shop design is one of the most enjoyable, yet complicated projects that you can undertake. They are much more fun than simple restaurants; however, there remain plenty of considerations to take into account. Here, we will help you to understand the basics of good coffee shop design, in the hope that you can turn your dream of owning a popular and lucrative venture, into a reality.
The Layout Will Turn People On Or OffCoffee shops are unlike restaurants in some respects. For a start, they are casual affairs. Many people are there for a quick coffee and a relaxing time. Because your customers will not spend a lot of time in the cafe, the cafe needs to a layout that is efficient and well designed. People want to be able to get to their table easily; they want to sit down quickly; and they want a direct route to the counter. Remember this when designing the shop.
One way in which a cafe and a restaurant is similar, is that the customers are usually there for the ambiance. You need to create the right type of atmosphere, and in a cafe, this is usually cosy, clean, and comforting. Therefore, plenty of squidgy sofas, large tables, and soft furnishings are usually paramount to creating ‘that’ atmosphere that people want to visit.
A nice, gentle and relaxing atmosphere will always trump a rushed and rigid atmosphere. In the latter category, customers will feel unwelcome and therefore will not relax. This is bad for profit. You need to welcome your guests, whether you are in London or Winchester, make them feel welcome.
The ‘Behind-the-scenes’ Area is Important, tooThe behind the scenes area is important, but not in the way, you may believe. It will have no direct bearing on the comfortableness of the cafe, but it will affect how the customer feels.
A well-designed kitchen will be efficient. This means that the customers will get their food and drinks on time. It also means that staff will be less stressed, and therefore happier around the customers, which in turn will increase the popularity, and by default the profitability, of the cafe.
Make sure that the kitchen has a logical design. That you have specialist preparation areas for each type of food that you sell, and that getting around the kitchen is straightforward. The waiting staff should not be in each other’s way, and the collection points should be near to the main cafe. Having similar areas in similar places (e.g. the sandwich preparation worktop next to the fridge that contains the stuffing), will make the kitchen much more productive.
Get Help from the ExpertsTalk to professional designers. These people will understand the nature of the industry. They know how to deliver results that work. They will already have designed coffee shops that are successful, so ask for tips and advice.