Tagged Articles
Form + Function
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Form + Function: Restroom Design
When it comes to restaurant design, bathrooms have long been overlooked. But with an ever-increasing focus on the overall experience, customers and operators are viewing restaurant restrooms as the next wave of creative expression.
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Form + Function: Prepare for Takeout
Operators have several options when making room for takeout within a restaurant’s four walls. They can decide to renovate their existing dining room, or they can open new restaurant locations with ample space built in to accommodate takeout customers. Either way, operators have a host of things to consider when making room for takeout operations.
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Form + Function: LED Lighting
Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting technology has come a long way and is developing so quickly that even lighting designers are hard-pressed to keep up. “There are many more options, and they’re changing every month,” says Brett Anderson, principal designer of New York-based lighting design firm Focus Lighting.
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Form + Function: AV Systems Integration
A restaurant’s audiovisual system’s ability to influence the dining atmosphere is undoubtedly a powerful factor. “AV systems are no longer thought of as vanity now but as a necessity,” says Casey Johnston, founder and lead designer of Serious Audio Video Inc.Proactive and upfront planning and coordination of the AV system is critical.
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Form + Function: Restaurant Acoustics
Finding the right soundscape requires balancing art and science.
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Form + Function: Private Dining Rooms
Successful private dining rooms provide a relaxing environment for guests and a functional space for staff.
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Drive-Thrus
Organizing systems to speed throughput, maintain quality and improve accuracy determines drive-thru success.
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Server Stations
Designing and Positioning Server Stationsfor Efficiency
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Form + Function: On Queue
Restaurant queuing evokes different responses in people depending on their relationship to the line. If you’re an operator standing at the front of a long, snaking line, you’re happy. Business is good. If you’re a customer joining the end of a long, snaking line, however, you’re probably not happy.
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Multiple Levels, Multiple Challenges: Smart Design for Restaurants
When there’s nowhere to go but up, smart design strategies help restaurants rise to the occasion.
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Outdoor Patios: A Positive for Restaurant Owners and Guests
A well-designed and well-equipped outdoor patio can be a boon for restaurant guests and owners alike, offering a pleasant, al fresco dining experience and an opportunity to boost traffic and revenues. But designing these spaces requires careful planning: There’s much more to it than simply setting up a few tables and chairs outside.
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Fast-Casual Service Lines
When customers enter a fast-casual restaurant, they head straight for the service line. That’s where they view the menu, place their orders, select from ingredients on display and watch staff assemble their customized meals before paying at the other end of the line. It’s also where, in the midst of the action, customers begin to determine whether the restaurant’s brand meets their expectations.
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Spotlight on Lighting: The Brightest Trends Blend Theater, Technology
Advancements in lighting design and technology make it easier for restaurant operators to think outside the box. Once-standard fixtures are giving way to design-integral expressions ranging from industrial-looking, repurposed fixtures to fantastic, custom artistic expressions that take statement lighting and its place in restaurant design to a whole new level.
