By Indiana Lee, Contributor
Restaurant owners must adjust to the times and find new ways to create the best place in town. While you may have had a good run for a while, you might see business decline as fewer patrons come through the doors. And there are a myriad of reasons why you might be seeing a slowdown in business, each with their own unique solution, including it may be time to renovate.
However, before you close your doors and start breaking down your interior, it's essential to truly decide if this is the time to renovate, iron out the details regarding the timeline and budget, and decide on the best updates for your particular needs.
Why it May Be Time to Renovate
While you may feel like it’s time for a change, do some research and take the pulse of the people. Head onto social media and read customer reviews. Some comments might say that the food is good but the space is small or that the lighting is too dim. Start taking notice. You can also put out surveys on your website or ask patrons for feedback when they come into the restaurant.
There are many other reasons why your eatery might require a renovation, like the fact that there’s not enough room in the kitchen or in storage areas to help the staff be more efficient. Your issue could also be that your utility costs are too high every month, and you think better lighting or updated appliances can make a difference.
If nothing else, this may just be your chance to make everything shiny and fresh so you can garner attention and advertise your restaurant as “new and improved.”
Other reasons for a restaurant remodel may include:
Enhancing the perceived food quality.
Adding more seating.
Updating the look so you can justify a price bump for food.
Boosting employee morale
Completely changing the theme of the restaurant.
If any of these reasons make sense, then move on to the research phase.
Setting a Budget and Timeline
Start by looking at the costs that will go into the project and how long it may take. The budget for a restaurant remodel can be costly. You’ll likely see an average cost of $150 to $500 per square foot depending on the room.
If you’re remodeling the entire restaurant from front to back, then the cost can reach several hundred thousand dollars. However, if you go by room, the cost may vary. Some restaurant owners see a 600-square-foot kitchen cost in the ballpark of $300,000. Some larger, 900-square-foot dining rooms could be close to $180,000.
That means you’ll need to start saving money before you close your doors. You can do that by serving smaller portions, trimming down the options on your menu, and taking daily inventory to ensure you aren’t buying anything you don’t need. You can also cut down on utility costs by switching to LED light bulbs or only running a full dishwasher to avoid water waste.
The other option is to keep your restaurant open during the renovation. Start by setting boundaries for your customers by making it obvious where they can and cannot go for their own safety. You also want to avoid annoying the customers with loud noises, so try to do the work when you're closed or add soundproofing materials to the walls. You can also get customers excited by showing the progress of your remodel on social media.
Regarding the timeline of your restaurant renovation, that all depends on how extensive the work will be and other factors, like if you’ll be closed or open for business. Typically, you can expect about four to 12 weeks for a full remodel — about four weeks for smaller jobs.
Restaurant Upgrades to Consider
If you’re looking to add new features to your restaurant, then there are many design ideas you may consider, including integrating the outdoors into your bar. Nature and greenery are good for our mental health and general relaxation, so think about adding an outdoor patio or incorporating more hanging plants into your decor.
There are many interior design ideas to consider, like changing your restaurant's theme to a more modern or sleek design or switching to a log cabin or nature-inspired theme. This may also be a good time to implement an accent wall, add fewer but larger tables and switch to communal dining, or incorporate mirrors to make the space appear larger.
Restaurants a little behind the times can use this opportunity to look into some sorely needed tech upgrades. That might be transitioning to contactless technology, allowing patrons to pay without touching the card reader and allowing customers to review the menu by scanning a QR code on their phones.
While you’re at it, consider upgrading your internet to 5G. In addition to the fact that all businesses will be upgrading to 5G in the future, and you want to be prepared, this tech can improve Wi-Fi in the restaurant and allow servers to send information to the kitchen faster than ever before. Remember that 5G is not yet available everywhere, so complete some research first.
There’s a lot to consider regarding your restaurant's future and the renovations that can make it a success. Spend a lot of time mapping out your options and making the best decision for your staff and bottom line.
