Appearances matter

How many times have you heard the phrase ‘it’s what’s on the inside that counts’? It’s human nature to judge by outward appearance, but succumb to this, however unwittingly, and no doubt you will be reminded of this old adage.

This philosophy certainly has its place when it comes to our family, friends and colleagues. But does it ring true when it comes to our restaurants and bars? Your chef might cook up the best food in the town, but if guests are being asked to sit at tatty tables in a dingy atmosphere, his dishes are unlikely to even make the pass.

On the other hand, if the design is so intricate and the surroundings so quiet that the customer feels obliged to behave as if at a state dinner, this is not going to encourage anyone to stick around longer than it takes to eat their pommes frites.

In short, the design of your outlet will be your guests’ first impression of your product, and will, therefore, greatly influence public perception. We are said to form an opinion on people within less than a few minutes. If we also do this with an outlet, and our reaction is negative, only a truly stellar plate of food will shake that initial feeling.

In ‘The Interiors Issue’, Caterer Middle East has spoken to many industry experts, from branding experts through to F&B managers about the importance of design and with this, garnered varied opinions.

For some, a timely redesign prevents an outlet from passing its expiry date (Michael Goodman, page 29), for others the restaurant must be designed to tell a story (Nigel Witham, page 16 of the hard copy of the magazine), while even for the accomplished concept creator, it is the food that matters most (Daniel During, roundtable pages 20-24 of the magazine).

When I judge a restaurant’s design, the over-riding element for me is in its ambience. Does your outlet make me feel comfortable? Is the layout so smooth operationally that I don’t notice the waiters bustling around me? And are the materials chosen so carefully that the chairs glide effortlessly out from the tables and the floors prove slip-proof for the high heel wearer?

Of course, I also appreciate something that wows me and provides a talking point. It could be anything though — from features as simple as the tableware through to an open kitchen, or, my favourite, a stand-out waiter. In my opinion, it is this balance between feeling at home and being impressed that is at the heart of good design. Not every feature will appeal to every guest, but invest in getting the overall ambience right, and it will leave your guests free to discover their own favourite element on the outside.

It’s a tough task — appearances matter, but they are not enough to hide behind.