JL Architects

restaurant architecture

Designing Your Food Establishment

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Restaurant design is more than branding and a sign; diners are looking for an authentic dining experience.  To provide such an experience, clarity surrounding your brand and desired atmosphere is a must.  Creating the right experience includes the coordination of architectural design, menu selections, menu layout, marketing, and operations. As an architectural firm, we work with you to deliver the physical design and environment that tells your eatery’s story.  For our discussion example let’s say you are opening a café that is coffee centric, sustainability conscious, and has roots in the French culture.

The Core of the Establishment:

  • The core value of the business should be clear, and repeatedly emphasized so it is recognized by the customer.
  • Often the core is the product provided. For our example the coffee beans would be the core.
  • Try to reiterate the core to consumers through each of the senses.

-Taste: the exceptionalism of the coffee itself

-Sight: Brown hues in the space for the beans and off whites for the foam of drinks.

-Smell: the aroma of freshly ground beans

-Sound: Crushing of beans, the foaming of milk, music to sit and relax by.

-Touch: Warmth, bean resin, coffee grounds

Sustainability Conscious:

      • I have recently traveled to another state that enforces much more detailed recycling guidelines than where I reside. It felt a bit foreign to me, but afterwards I became appreciative of the efforts.  Try to instill this feeling to customers during their time at your establishment by asking them to separate all the items needed to consume your product.
      • If recycling is not the route you would like to convey, look for alternate functional wares. Use cardboard or paper instead or plastic.  Offer in-house ware only.  Suggest reoccurring customers to being their own travel mugs to be filled.
      • Upcycling is a great sustainable practice. Reusing old types of furniture can give life to something old and provide a unique eclectic experience.  If you have a target consumer, say baby boomers.  Reuse wooden desks as table seating that they can relate to from their past.

Roots from a French Culture:

        • If you want the experience to feel like a café in France, provide that. Include outdoor café seating that everyone thinks of when they think of France and cafes.
        • If the French make something slightly different than other cultures offer or are trained in, make it how they would so when someone orders it the taste and technique is accurate to the core of your establishment.
        • If a French café provides something to their consumers with every order (like a mint or cookie) provide one as well.

There are many layers of design to make a business operate successful, and the core of the establishment is always in the forefront of a customer’s experience.  JL Architects has been designing and working alongside restaurant owners for 30 years and can help these design layers equal success. Reach out to see how we can help.

-Nate Houser, Restaurant Designer

The Future is Now for your Restaurant!

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After COVID hitting the restaurant business so hard, it is great to see our favorite dining spots not only busy, but many with long wait times. As we have all been anxious to get back to life, what we did not see coming was the unexpected re-opening challenges that many restaurants have faced -staffing, supply chain issues, mask or no mask, and now the COVID Delta variant raising its ugly head. How does one future proof their restaurant in these unpredictable and changing times?

Here are my thoughts:

Environment Creates the Experience

  • Finding and creating the needed space between tables for customers to not feel too close to their dining neighbor, while allowing you to still have your needed ROI in square footage is key, and here to stay.
  • Proper distancing for both the seating area and the hostess area will relax your customers, allow them to linger (and order more), will keep them coming back, and bring your restaurant referrals.
  • Adding plants and ambient lighting always enhances the environment and can be used to enhance various distancing needs.
  • Mobile furniture allows you to accommodate changing space needs – whether it is because of a COVID variant or to host a custom party.
  • Does your restaurant draw people in, and excite them to be there while making them comfortable at the same time? Have you considered the role of color, furniture, wall coverings and overall design in creating your environment and brand? It may be time to consult with a restaurant designer to see how they can guide you.
  • Are there activities you can create to set your restaurant apart? Maybe it is not trivia night or axe throwing, but rather a wine tasting, cooking with the chef, a themed meal, a fundraiser night. The possibilities are endless. After a year of limited activity, we are yearning for interactive experiences. This will not go way.

Enhance your Secondary Markets with Site Improvements

  • Pickup and Curbside is here to stay. Accommodate this market by providing designated parking spaces, directional signage for ease of pick-up, and 3rd party delivery for those wanting your food brought to them.
  • Can you add a drive-thru? Or add an additional lane? Drive-thrus provide convenience (especially in bad weather!) and add efficiency to the order/pick-up process.
  • Not everyone has space for a drive thru, but how about a designated pick-up window for walk-ups?
  • Where do your supply deliveries arrive? Site deliveries are critical to maintaining inventory but be sure your deliveries are not disruptive to your environment you worked so hard to create, and to your operations.

Today’s Customer Thinks Sustainably

  • Are you serving on 1 time use products? If so, how can you change this?
  • Is your To-Go packaging environmentally friendly?
  • Are you still using plastic straws?
  • Where do you source your food? Is it local and sustainable?
  • Have you looked at your kitchen design? Green kitchen design uses equipment and processes that will cut down on your energy use, helping your utility bills and the environment.
  • And, have you looked at how you cook? Eliminating fryers and open flame cooking will reduce the risk of producing acrylamide, a toxic and potentially carcinogenic chemical created when food is cooked at high temperatures.

Now is the time to make needed changes to future proof your restaurant. Did you know JL Architects has been designing and working alongside restaurant owners for 30 years? Reach out to see how we can help.

-Nate Houser, JL’s Restaurant Guru

Opening a Second-Generation Restaurant

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Do you own a restaurant, or perhaps just love dining at them?  Has a restaurant in your community closed its doors recently?  Either way, you could be on a streak of good luck.  Businesses that were not able to pivot during COVID have created prime real-estate openings for new or expanding restaurants.  Here are a few things to consider before signing the lease or taking out that mortgage:

Site Assessment

  • Look for by-right use sites on the local zoning map. This will save you time and money with your building permit.
  • Sites that were previously the same type of restaurant as you are proposing will often be easier to renovate, saving on construction costs.
  • Confirm the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing utilities meet your proposed needs. This will save you on design and construction cost.
  • Involve your design and construction team from the very beginning to avoid unnecessary surprises and the accompanying expense. Your design team can also share ideas and methods for the most efficient design leading to construction and operational savings. And, always remember the great importance of design in creating that environment that draws in your customers and keeps them coming back.

Locale to Market

  • Do your demographic search to identify the customer base you are seeking.
  • Verify the distance from your proposed location to the center of your market, ensuring it is a viable location and delivery is feasible/practical.
  • Check out the neighboring businesses; they may bring you competition, they may bring you customers, and they may bring you both!

Nothing is Perfect

  • Just because the building type is not the same as your existing locations or is not just what you envisioned; it does not mean it is not a viable location/investment.
  • Building in an existing box often requires you to think outside of the box. Flexibility is key.
  • Know your core requirements. Have fun with the rest.

Look for Warning Signs

  • Even though the site location is a dream come true, certain site conditions can ruin it for you. Or they can create an amazing opportunity; seek the guidance of your design/build team.
  • If utilities and accessibility compliance need upgrades, it can be costly. Again, consult with your design team to be able to make an informed and reasoned decision on the site.

Our country is building momentum towards fully opening.  If you enjoy new cuisine in your neighborhood, get ready because it is coming!  If you are a restauranteur now is a great time to make moves on relocation and expansion.  Contact us at JL Architects to help you assess a site you have an interest in.  We can help you think outside the box while building inside an existing box.  Restaurant design and repurposing buildings is something we have a great deal of experience with.  You most likely have experience managing a restaurant.  Let’s collaborate to make something great.

-Nate Houser, Food & Beverage Project Manager

Embracing Restaurant Delivery through Real Estate

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Real Estate Considerations for Now and in the Future

There are many names for this fast-growing trend in commercial and industrial real estate. Whether you refer to it as a ghost kitchen, cloud kitchen, satellite kitchen, shared kitchen, or virtual kitchen, the idea remains the same.  This model provides an off-premise location for represented restaurant brands and their chefs a place to prepare food, without the expense and maintenance of a brick and mortar location.

Due to rapidly changing consumer habits, and recent advances in technology this delivery-only model is experiencing monumental growth. Statistics on food delivery point to the opportunities that exist for commercial real-estate:

  • Over half of US consumers order delivery at least once a week; more than 20% of Generation Z gets delivery at least three times a week.
  • Meal delivery is growing 300% faster than dine-in over the last 5 years.
  • Ongoing growth: A market research firm recently estimated that delivery-only restaurants could be a $1 trillion business by 2030.

What are the Benefits for Real-Estate Owners and Ghost Kitchen Operators?

  • Low overhead costs. Your cost of real-estate will be much lower than a traditional restaurant location. And, no need to invest in an in-person dining experience.
  • Faster opening times -renting/buying space in existing facilities dramatically increases your speed-to-market.
  • Additional revenue streams – established brands can generate additional revenue by renting out a third-party ghost kitchen or by launching a delivery-only spin-off from their primary concept.
  • Flexibility – Ghost kitchens are easily adaptable as the market or customer preferences change.
  • Efficient ghost kitchens can accommodate a variety of cuisines and restaurant brands with the necessary corresponding equipment.

Ready to Dive in?

Here are 4 things to consider when looking at potential sites:

  1. Site selection is the most important aspect to consider. Potential sites can include closed restaurants and retail/big box stores, former culinary schools, warehouses and dated industrial space in markets all over the country. Warehouses and light industrial use space just outside dense urban centers often meet the need for delivery personnel parking, affordable rent, and satisfy the purchasing demand of nearby residents.
  2. Site selection must consider delivery driver parking in addition to shift worker parking. Locate where the driver waiting areas will be, and where you can place outdoor screens for drivers to monitor order times. Ask yourself if you can add a drive thru for an even more seamless driver pick-up.
  3. Interior space planning for the site must identify the most efficient layout for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and other elements of the kitchen to allow various tenants to work and thrive side-by-side in a fast-paced environment.
  4. Remember the key to profitability is effective design that gets your food out the door and into the customer’s hands as fast as possible.

What Else Do You need to Know?

  • Because this concept is still new, zoning and approval processes are often not clear-cut, and vary depending on the municipality you are working in. Regulators may be unfamiliar with the concept, and requirements may be inconsistent from location to location and inspector to inspector.
  • Food production is largely regulated at the local level by the health department. This means the local Health Department is likely to be involved with your permitting.
  • Hire a professional firm (i.e. JL Architects) to secure the necessary building and operating approvals and design the best use for your location.

For years Americans have used third-party providers to place billions of dollars in food delivery orders. With the rise of ghost kitchens to compliment this trend, restaurants are capitalizing on this low-cost, low-risk way to maintain brand awareness, expand product availability, and endure the pandemic’s recent effect on the industry.

Coming Soon to a Restaurant Near You

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Remember when you used to spend your weekends trying new cuisine at your favorite spot in town?  Or the avant-garde dining experience that you made reservations for 12 months in advance?  Oh, the good old days!  Well, before you know it that will be the “new normal” once again.  However, not everything was bad in the name of dining during the pandemic.  Restaurants found clever techniques to keep you interested, and the good thing is some of those techniques are here to stay.

Changes in the Post Pandemic Restaurant Experience:

  1. The modern restaurant should balance convenience and socialization. Pre-pandemic, the largest growth model for the industry was off-premise consumption. Due to the pandemic, off-premise growth continued exponentially.  When the restaurant experience can neutralize again on-premise dining is sure to see a significant percentage return, but experts feel it may not reach pre-pandemic numbers.
  2. COVID-19 pivots are here to stay. Many restaurants were forced to pivot.  This involved things such as social distancing barriers, smaller menus to turn larger profit margins, digital ordering, and 3rd party delivery/curbside opportunities.  Most operators feel reduced menus and 3rd party delivery/curbside opportunities will remain for the foreseeable future.
  3. To-go drinks are a millennial must! As restaurants searched for creative ways to turn a profit during the pandemic, one tried and true opportunity was booze-to-go.  Statistics have verified millennials love ordering to-go beverages in their small town or big city, including using their various delivery options.  It was stated by millennials that they would be more apt to order from a restaurant that provided this opportunity.  Only time will tell us if the local ordinances will continue to allow this service post pandemic.
  4. Comfort is king.  With so many healthy opportunities for boxed food kits delivered to your doorstep, how are restaurants to compete? Offer comfort.  Those who are health conscious often dive into cooking, so they are aware of the nutritional value and calories that are going into their meal. But even the best cooks need some down time.  Restaurants have seen success offering the comfort food that we crave during our laying low winter weekends or staying in and watching a movie night.

In summary, dining is continually evolving and changing. Change after change, it will remain a reoccurring experience we crave.  The staff at JL Architects love this experience just as much as anyone, so much so that we have a designated project team for designing such establishments. The next time you get the opportunity to try that new place or dine where you are known on a first name basis, keep us in mind.  We would love to help those that serve you.

PS………When the pandemic comes to an end there is probably going to be an explosion of indoor and outdoor dining.  I’d suggest making your reservations now!

2021: Predicting Trends in Restaurant Design

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Do you miss having a meal at your favorite restaurant? I sure do! When we can confidently walk through the doors of our favorite dining spot, what changes will we see?

For restaurants to survive during the pandemic owners were forced to pivot, and designers were looked upon for quick solutions.  Expect some of the quick solutions mentioned below to evolve into spectacular restaurant design trends in the new year.

Here is What to Expect:

  1. Customers will experience less contact. Dine-in locations during the pandemic are depending upon digital platforms to share the menu, offer specials, and provide contactless payment. These changes are expected to stay, allowing for cost savings (saved printing expense for menus & specials), allowing expedited payment, tracking of customer favorites, and greater access to a rewards program for reoccurring customers.
  2. Fast-casual restaurants will be smaller and more convenient. Typically, every 10 years food chains renovate their current design.  They may be changes to interior finishes and lay-out, digitally enhanced experiences, or even a remodeled exterior. As a result of current pandemic conditions, some enhancements are being expedited, and some locations are even considering eliminating indoor seating all together, hoping to lead to a more efficient and cost-effective model.
  3. Platform based food hall design is expected to thrive while still evolving. The pandemic made it impossible for individuals to utilize dine in food halls. The successful food halls pivoted to a digital platform for take-out and delivery. Now, we can digitally order an egg roll as an appetizer, a pizza for dinner, and a cannoli for dessert.  Watch for this design to expand post COVID, while continuing to evolve with our new purchasing and experience habits.
  4. Generation Z will be followed and targeted by corporate establishments. Corporate has noticed the massive popularity of TikTok. Dunkin Donuts has built an entire marketing campaign around one of the most followed TikTok accounts, with reportedly 84.8 million followers. Wow; that is lot of Dunkin and TikTok togetherness!

In summary the good news is dining out (and in!) is here to stay.  The even better news is that next time you check out that new local restaurant or go where you are known on a first name basis, changes of comfort and convenience will be integrated into your experience.

If you are ready to start the design process of your dream restaurant (that you have finally decided to act on), contact us here at JL Architects.  Our 30+ years of expertise in restaurant design can help your dream become a success.