| Setting up a restaurant and planning its layout is a | | | | good time with his family in a cozy environment? You |
| totally different ballgame than that of setting up your | | | | also must have a fair idea of the paying capabilities of |
| home dining room. While the latter has just one table | | | | your clientele, for that will decide your budget for |
| and a limited number of diners, the former has | | | | setting up as well as for later actions like menu prices. |
| numerous dining tables to cater for as well as it has to | | | | You could well be catering to a purely working class |
| cater to the tastes and sensibilities of a much larger | | | | clientele, in which case your settings will need to be |
| group of people. It is a challenge you can well take on, | | | | very different from that of a family restaurant. |
| however, if you have done your homework well. | | | | Other aspects that need attention are the selection of |
| This is the place where all your clients are going to | | | | the dining chairs, placing of the cash counter and |
| spend their time. The immediate impact on entering has | | | | decorative facets. Make sure the dining room chairs |
| to be fabulous, as the saying goes “The first | | | | are matching with the tables. The counter in most |
| impression is the last impression”. So start working | | | | restaurants is mostly placed closed to the kitchen door |
| on it right away. | | | | (as opposed to the exit in the case of most stores), |
| Start with the setting of the dining tables. They should | | | | enabling the counter manager to easily keep a tag of |
| be adequately spaced apart to allow movement to | | | | the orders. If you are opening an outdoor joint, the |
| flow unrestrained. Waiters and guests alike should | | | | view will be the predominant attraction, and you need |
| have plenty of room to move around without crashing | | | | not spend too much on the interiors except for the |
| into each other. While you would like to utilize your | | | | basic neatness aspects. Decoration of an indoor |
| space to the utmost, do not neglect this important | | | | eatery is a different ball game, however. |
| aspect. If necessary, go around and do a mock | | | | Use Amish furniture to give a class to your restaurant |
| exercise to check out the problem areas. | | | | that is unparalleled. Elegant enough to attract attention, |
| Select a dining set to go with your overall settings. | | | | yet sturdy and strong to withstand long and rough use. |
| Have you chosen a theme for your bistro? Modern or | | | | The beauty of Amish handcrafted furniture lies in its |
| classical, smart and exclusive or relaxed and luxurious, | | | | unique style and the special ambience that it brings to |
| the choice has to be made as per the clientele you | | | | your room. |
| targeting in your business plan. | | | | Having selected the basic furniture and its settings, it is |
| Who are you catering to? Are you targeting students | | | | now time to work towards the selection of the |
| interested in a quick snack and coffee, or are you | | | | crockery and setting up your kitchen. More on those |
| planning something for the family man who wants a | | | | aspects in my next article. |