Tagged Articles

Front of the House Lighting

In the front of the house, lighting is primarily for illuminating, but it also plays a big part in creating a restaurant’s overall atmosphere. It is a functional aspect of the decor.

Southern Concept Blends Modern Trends with Traditional Roots

A contemporary southern concept, the operation is inspired by and named after Executive Chef-Owner Rob McDaniel's grandmother.

How to Save Full-Service Restaurants

Some ideas that could help full-service operations make guests feel safer while dining on premises.

Wayback Burgers Modernizes

This burger concept has updated its look, but it still aims for an old-time experience.

Fine-Dining Mainstay Updates Look

A mainstay of the St. Louis fine-dining scene for decades, The Tenderloin Room underwent a renovation that aimed at elevating and modernizing the space while maintaining historic integrity.

A Tale of Two Taco Joints

The result of a collaboration between Washington, D.C.-based architecture and design firm //3877 and New York City-based design firm Reid and Taylor Studio, TacoVision is a two-story eatery with two distinct aesthetics and service models.

Rouj Offers Splashes of Red, Along with Upscale Creole

Based in Baton Rouge, La., Rouj is a high-end Creole concept owned by City Group Hospitality. The restaurant, which opened its doors in 2019, was designed by Ritter Maher Architects, which handled both the architectural and interior design.

Another Broken Egg Cafe Seizes the Moment

With a cultural shift toward brunch and morning cocktails, this breakfast chain has redesigned to emphasize its bar and its Southern roots.

Upscale Diner Reimagines a Classic Style

An iconic, defunct landmark in Southampton, N.Y., has been reimaged.

Once the Princess Diner, the new Silver Lining Diner both modernizes and upscales the traditional diner experience with year-round seasonal fare and local sourcing.

Tips for Outfitting a Fine Dining Restaurant

Remember when fine-dining experiences were all about starched white tablecloths, tuxedoed waiters and fancy food served in quiet rooms? Such traditional characteristics still define many operations in the segment, but they’re no longer requisite parts of the experience.

Golden Corral's New Prototype Feels Like Home

The restaurant industry is changing, and Golden Corral is changing along with it.

Form + Function: Outdoor Dining

The arrival of spring may bring daffodils and gentle breezes, but it also signals the arrival of restaurant patrons who want to sit outside.

Form + Function: Flooring

Choosing the right one makes all the difference.

One Problem | Three Solutions: Restaurant Seating

There is a specific psychology behind effective seating layout and design. 

Creating Zones via Lighting, Flooring and Half Walls

Within restaurants, particularly the casual and upscale segments, interior designers typically use zones to separate the bar from dining areas. Zones can aid designers in creating different guest experiences within the same restaurants. Patios and restrooms are typically their own zones with distinct looks.

6 Ways to Get Expensive Looks for Less

Create a fabulous-looking restaurant without breaking the bank.

Main Event Ups Its Game

Needing to keep its base of affluent, in-the-know guests coming back, this entertainment concept has rolled out its second new design in less than 10 years.

Crafted Americana at The Ridge

A destination in the Midwest for golf vacations, weddings and more, The Ridge Hotel in Lake Geneva, Wis., revamped its dining spaces to go along with a new lobby, reception area, coffee bar and other upgrades as part of a $4.5 million renovation.

Soulman's Moves into Franchising With Design Tweaks

“Low and slow” is the mantra for cooking delicious Texas-style barbecue. One Dallas-based barbecue concept is taking a similar approach to its expansion. Fourteen-unit chain Soulman’s Bar-B-Que first opened its doors in 1974 but has only recently opened its first franchised store.

Dallas Lounge Echoes European Clubs

Nestled in the heart of Dallas’ Design District, Joseph Palladino’s Quill combines restaurant and lounge in an elevated design, reminiscent of European nightlife.

Design Market: Milwaukee

In just the past few years, a growing crop of well-trained and well-traveled chefs have made Milwaukee their stomping ground, exciting the palettes of locals and visitors alike. These popular restaurants feature both great food and unique design details.

Project Profile: The Dabney

This James Beard semifinalist restaurant celebrates mid-Atlantic cooking in an environment that emphasizes tradition.

Drive-Thrus

Organizing systems to speed throughput, maintain quality and improve accuracy determines drive-thru success.

Dayparting by Design

A well-thought-out and flexible application of lighting, materials and other design elements can help restaurants seamlessly serve guests from one daypart to the next, thus maximizing revenue opportunities for a single location.

Bright, Airy Look for Hooters

In late spring, Hooters of America LLC unveiled a new prototype that will be the model for all new-build locations and influence refreshes and remodels at existing units. The new prototype, introduced at a 6,300-square-foot Hooters in Slidell, La., has a clean, bright interior with expansive windows, high ceilings and lots of open space. The bar is a central feature and zones provide a variety of seating heights and styles.

What's on Your Playlist? Music Helps Build Brands

It's that je ne sais quoi about a restaurant, that intangible that creates energy in a space, even if no one is in the room. You can't touch it, taste it or see it, and you might not even notice it's there, but it impacts your impressions. Just like lighting adds another element to décor, music builds ambiance and brands.