Restaurant Renovation – Things to Consider

Restaurant owners love to see a packed dining room; It says volumes about their food, service, and ambiance. Inevitably, the time comes to consider updates to stay relevant and up-to-date. With constant competition knocking at the door, typically, a site would consider major or minor updates every ten years to remain a leader in their communities.

Just like homes, the patrons’ expectations of décor, layout, lighting, flooring, finishes, etc. continues to evolve over time. Making updates regularly keeps existing customers coming back and attracts new customers that are either visiting or relocating to the area.

Some things to consider when planning to remodel or renovate your restaurant:

1. The remodel or renovation is an opportunity to rethink your space and optimize square footage. Consider new floor designs, adding outdoor seating, or opening up a wall for a more inviting atmosphere. Some restaurants have been including a separate space for delivery orders as they continue to add a steady revenue stream.
2. Consider asking for feedback from customers to obtain ideas and wish lists from their perspective. Valuable information is easy to get. It may be process driven ideas that help renovate not just the building, but also inefficiencies or annoyances that customers experience.
3. Budgets are always one of the biggest decisions with any renovation project. It always turns out to cost more than anticipated, especially post COVID, as materials and labor pricing has risen dramatically. When deciding on a vendor, it can save a lot of headache and budget overages by selecting a firm that can handle the design, engineering and construction phases. This eliminates finger pointing and mitigates change orders mid-project which can be expensive. Additionally, spend time checking references for other restaurant projects successfully completed in your area. Once you sign with a contractor, it turns into a mess if they fall behind or aren’t showing up to complete the project to get your doors back open. Request a project schedule so you have proper expectations and can plug into your business plan. If you are leasing, check with your landlord to determine if any tenant improvement funds are available.
4. Don’t forget about the exterior. In many cases, a relevant exterior is equally important as the interior of a restaurant. Fresh paint, signage, and landscaping are important factors that feed into customers perceptions of the site and its cleanliness.
5. Advertise the remodel. Using your social media platforms, keep the public engaged with the remodel progress.  This can significantly generate excitement from regulars and those anticipating the reopening. The goal is to keep all existing customers and add tons of new ones, ensuring the money spent on the remodel is quickly recovered and provides a healthy ROI for years to come.

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