How to Make a Layout of a Restaurant

Your restaurant layout should compliment both your employees and your customers.

A restaurant layout should be inviting and functional, directing customers' attention to important areas of the facility while providing ample space for servers to flow through. A successful layout requires careful arrangement and attention to detail, highlighting proper atmosphere for customers and high functionality for employees.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Tape measurer

Instructions

1. Determine the ratio between the graph paper squares and actual footage. Use a 1 foot-1 square ratio for a small design. Use a 1 foot-2 square ratio for larger designs or if the graph paper squares are very small. Denote this conversion in the margin for reference.

2. Draw permanent fixtures including walls, bathrooms, kitchen, bar and staff areas. Measure each wall and permanent fixture, convert the size to squares and draw clear lines for each fixture. For instance, an 8-by-3 bar -- using a 1-foot-to-1-square ratio -- would equal an 8-square-by-3-square bar on the layout.

3. Use extra graph paper to cut out shapes that represent movable fixtures, such as tables, bar stools and mobile cooking items. Keep shapes identical to real components and measure each item to ensure shapes are cut to the correct sizes.

4. Arrange and rearrange the furniture, using the layout, until every piece needed is included. Avoid placing tables directly against the wall and provide a clear path for your serves to move from the kitchen to your tables. Visualize how daily operations will occur. Function should be a primary focus that will give staff enough room to operate. The layout should include space for a preparation area and should provide a consistent path to all customers.

5. Develop a customer lead that draws patrons from the door and toward the money-making areas of your restaurant, according to Maxey Hayse Design Studios. As customers enter, the first thing they see is the bar with plenty of customer seating.

   Use the entry to encourage customers to relax at the bar until a table is ready. Draw furniture into the layout by tracing pieces until the design is finalized.

References

• "Maxey Hayse Design Studios", Layout & How It Effects Your Bottom Line; 2006
• "Contractor NJ", Restaurant Layout & Design; 2008