Safety Workplace layout of a Restaurant Ergonomics
(i) Number of Tables
While you should try to accommodate a required number of tables in the dining area, you must also
consider the comfort and mobility of both your customers as well as the staff. There should be
enough space between the tables to avoid any potential conflict between a customer leaving the
table and a waiter carrying a tray.
(ii) Good Tables
Another problem that restaurant owners often face is optimizing the seating so that every table is a
good table. Customers often avoid sitting near the kitchen or the bathroom as these areas are prone
to disturbance. The tables at the center of the seating area are also unfavored by guests. To avoid
this problem, you can consider placing wall separators that will help utilize these areas.
5. Safety
Safety is one aspect that must always be included in your restaurant layout. In case of an
emergency, there must be clear pathways to exit if you need to evacuate the building. There should
be wide paths to avoid customers and employees tripping and hurting themselves as navigate
across your restaurant.
You'd need to hire an architect who'd create the restaurant floorplan and layout considering the
spatial configurations as a basis and ensure that the design is in harmony with the theme and
concept. You would also need a contractor who would implement the design and ensure the
construction of the restaurant interior.
Include these tips in your restaurant design and plan, and they'd surely help improve the overall
ambiance and guest experience and also increase the efficiency of your restaurant operations!
Ergonomics can roughly be defined as the study of people in their working environment. More
specifically, an ergonomist (pronounced like economist) designs or modifies the work to fit the
worker, not the other way around. The goal is to eliminate discomfort and risk of injury due to
work.
The Importance Of A Well Planned Restaurant Layout
The first thing to do while deciding your restaurant layout is to ensure that the design and layout are in
sync with the concept and theme of your restaurant. The restaurant design will vary significantly for
different types of restaurant formats. For example, quick-service restaurants are designed towards fast
eating for a quick table turnover, while fine dining restaurants aim to seat customers for a longer period.
That being said, the way the restaurant layout is sketched will have a huge impact on your restaurant
operations. The efficiency of the layout will reflect in the ease with which operations are carried out in
your restaurant. Here are some reasons why investing in a well-planned restaurant layout is a must:-
1. Circulation And Movement
One of the most important aspects of a restaurant layout is ensuring proper circulation and movement of
the restaurant staff as well as the customers in the restaurant. The restaurant layout should be designed
in a manner that allows customers to find their way inside the restaurant easily, and then to the dining
area.
Considering the Coronavirus crisis that shook the entire restaurant industry, the need for enough space
between the tables cannot be stressed enough. There must be enough spacing in between the tables that
not ensures easy movement but also follows all the social distancing norms.
The route of the waiters carrying the food to the dining area from the restaurant kitchen should be
straightforward and uncluttered to ensure quick and efficient service. The insides of a restaurant kitchen
are an especially explosive space, with a maximum number of accidents happening due to clashes among
the restaurant staff and slippery floors. Thus, ensure that the layout of the restaurant kitchen includes
enough space between the different workstations.
2. Connectivity Between The Restaurant Frontend And Backend
The spatial arrangement in the restaurant layout should be done in such a way that the Frontend of the
restaurant, which includes the Entrance and Reception, Waiting Area, Cashier's Desk, and Dining Area are
well connected to the Backend of the restaurant, which includes the Restaurant Kitchen, Pantry, Storage,
and Administration Area.
The restaurant design should allow the smooth circulation of the items from the pantry and storage to
the restaurant kitchen. If the storage is too far away from the kitchen, the staff would face unnecessary
hassles transferring the stock items to the kitchen and lead to delays in the preparation of food.
It is necessary that the restaurant kitchen and storage are well separated from the customer seating area
and ventilated so that the smell and noise of preparation and cooking do not reach the customers.
example of good restaurant layout
3. Comfort For Diners And Staff
The comfort of the people in your restaurant, your customers as well as your staff is paramount. If your
customers are uncomfortable with the ambiance, they'll refrain from dining at your restaurant. On the
other hand, the comfort of your staff is just as important. Unless you provide good working conditions,
the efficiency of your staff would be minimal. Human comfort in an indoor space primarily relies on
thermal comfort and indoor air quality (achieved by temperature, humidity control good and ventilation),
lighting, and acoustic comfort, which we have discussed in the points below.
(i) Thermal and Indoor Air Quality
Due to cooking, lighting, electrical equipment and the number of people inside the restaurant, the internal
heat is very high in all restaurants (especially in kitchens). Thus, it is necessary to have a proper HVAC
(Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) in your restaurant. The temperature in the seating area must
be controlled to provide a pleasant environment for your customers. At the same time, ensure that the
restaurant kitchen is well ventilated to let out the smoke and smell of the food preparation.
(ii) Restaurant Lighting
Restaurant lighting is an essential component of restaurant design as it provides visibility to work and
move safely, and also affects the customer experience. The lighting influences the ambiance of the
restaurant, which in turn reflects in the customer experience.
(iii) Acoustic
Restaurants, in general, are a noisy space. With music playing in the background, and people talking, and
the overall acoustical quality of space has a significant impact on the customer experience. The average
noise level of a restaurant is typically 80 dB, (some reaching as high as 110 dB) which is over the normal
60 dB of regular conversation. Thus, restaurants usually have soft furnishing and carpeted floors to
provide sound absorbing effects. False ceilings and soft surfaces can be included in the restaurant design
to maintain the acoustics of the restaurant space.
4. Optimum Utilization of Space
One of the aspects of a good restaurant layout is the optimum utilization of the space. The restaurant
layout should be designed in such a manner that everything, ranging from the tables and chairs to the
restaurant equipment are accommodated with enough space for work and movement.
restaurant layout plan must allow easy movement
(i) Number of Tables
While you should try to accommodate a required number of tables in the dining area, you must also
consider the comfort and mobility of both your customers as well as the staff. There should be enough
space between the tables to avoid any potential conflict between a customer leaving the table and a
waiter carrying a tray.
(ii) Good Tables
Another problem that restaurant owners often face is optimizing the seating so that every table is a good
table. Customers often avoid sitting near the kitchen or the bathroom as these areas are prone to
disturbance. The tables at the center of the seating area are also unfavored by guests. To avoid this
problem, you can consider placing wall separators that will help utilize these areas.
5. Safety
Safety is one aspect that must always be included in your restaurant layout. In case of an emergency,
there must be clear pathways to exit if you need to evacuate the building. There should be wide paths to
avoid customers and employees tripping and hurting themselves as navigate across your restaurant.
You'd need to hire an architect who'd create the restaurant floorplan and layout considering the spatial
configurations as a basis and ensure that the design is in harmony with the theme and concept. You would
also need a contractor who would implement the design and ensure the construction of the restaurant
interior.
Include these tips in your restaurant design and plan, and they'd surely help improve the overall ambiance
and guest experience and also increase the efficiency of your restaurant operations!
Research
The above quote by Albert Einstein is one of my favourites. I have hung it in the hallway in anticipation
of our Science Fair every year. But after a few years of replacing spelling instruction with Structured
Word Inquiry, I began to realize how well it applied to what we were doing with words. I love that
scientists aren't expected to have answers ready at every turn. Science is methodical and takes the
time it takes. Even when research is finished and conclusions are drawn, it is understood that those
findings are temporary. They are the current understanding and are open to further questioning and
research at any time. And when someone takes the time to research, test, and publish new findings,
those findings are thoughtfully considered by fellow scientists who either accept or challenge them. In
that respect, science is not static. It is always moving towards a deeper understanding. If you are
using Structured Word Inquiry, you will recognize the parallels here.