Hello, lavania-ga!
You have asked "What are the customer expectations on Ambiance of the Restaurant?"
While there are many factors that go into creating ambience, the
undeniable fact is that all customers are different. Ambience
considered pleasurable by one customer may be dull to another. While
one customer might like the quiet intimacy and subdued lighting of an
expensive restaurant, another may prefer the bustling, brightly-lit,
crowded atmosphere of a pub.
One thing is certain. Restaurant goers have developed far more
discriminating tastes over the years. Restaurant owners are paying far
more attention to atmosphere than ever before in an attempt to remain
viable in a competitive environment.
Since researchers are discourage from writing papers for customers,
and you agreed that an acceptable answer would be one comprised of
article links and excerpts, I have started with a preliminary overview
of the components that customers look for in restaurant ambience. I
have followed with articles that highlight specific aspects of
restaurant atmosphere and customer preferences. This should provide
you with a generous amount of material to formulate a paper.
I do suggest, however, that you read each article in it's entirety. I
have merely provided excerpts but you will get a better overall feel
for the subject if you read the references in full.
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Important design elements to consider in restaurant ambience
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This rather dated bulleting by the Michigan State University Extension
Service does an excellent job of describing the important elements
pertaining to restaurant ambience. I have only provided the excerpt
from the introduction. You should read it thoroughly as it is quite
lengthy.
"What determines the success of a restaurant? According to one
prominent restaurant designer, the determining factor is not the food
but the interior of the restaurant. "A restaurant should be an
experience," he states. "It is a place to see and be seen, not just a
place to eat."
"Whether you agree with this concept or not the fact is that many
customers do consider the ambiance of the restaurant -the interior
appearance, service, and how the food is served- as important as the
food itself."
* "Important factors to consider when designing a restaurant include
color and light, textures and patterns, space and layout, and style or
type of restaurant."
Read further.....
"Restaurants Up Front," by Harold H. Alexander. Michigan State
University Extension. 1990
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/modtd/33310406.html
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Ambience can fulfill a customer's psychological and emotional needs
********************************************************************
"For the last 10 years, it's been more about the experience than the
food," (says Michael Cox, the chief economist at the Federal Reserve
Bank of Dallas) "You're not going there just for your stomach. You're
going there for your mind." Innovation in today's restaurant business
means not just better recipes, but also more appealing environments.
"For today's restaurants, then, "atmosphere" demands more than
tablecloths and candles in a darkened room. Restaurateurs have to
create what a trade-show booth designer calls, referring to his own
business, "a complete environment--one that gets inside the minds of
the attendees and triggers the right feelings." To satisfy customers,
restaurants must fulfill not just physical but psychological and
emotional needs."
"Some patrons want stimulation--variety, entertainment, and excitement
you don't get at home. Borrowing movie lingo, Rodriguez uses the term
"story line" to refer to the guiding visions for his restaurants."
"Jan Martin, an interior designer, defines a restaurant's atmosphere
with a question: "How does a person feel when they're sitting in the
space?" Different styles create different feelings--excitement,
coziness, comfort, pride. Form follows emotion."
"For many patrons, an attractive restaurant provides a sort of stage
set, a place to look good."
* "The most successful restaurant design offers more than a stage. It
becomes an accessory, an expression of the patron's personal style,
aspiration, and identity--a dining room of one's own, but away from
home."
"We Are Where We Eat," by Virginia Postrel. D Magazine, July 2001
http://www.dynamist.com/articles-speeches/dmag/restaurants.html
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Customers look for an overall feeling of comfort
*************************************************
"Ambience is that overall feeling guests have that begins when they
approach the restaurant and carries over after they leave. We are
affected by our surroundings. Lighting, music, colors all play a role
in creating a mood. Generally, we expect ambience to be aligned with
the menu and when we are disappointed by the ringing of cell phones,
cold drafts of air, tables positioned too close together, or
inappropriate music or noise, we may be discouraged enough to not
return."
From "What?s a star worth? Criteria key to rating restaurant reviews,"
by Lori Pierce Abendschein. The Poughkeepsie Journal (2002)
http://www.pojonews.com/enjoy/reviews/about_restaurants.htm
=
"Today, few customers are satisfied with just "getting something to
eat." Rather, they have come to expect higher levels of "dining
experience," whether it be from fine white tablecloth restaurants,
quick service or casual eateries or any of the many types of onsite
foodservice operations. Finding ways to create the right kind of
dining experience to match the customer base is a growing challenge
for every operator."
"That dining "experience" is the result of many factors, but few would
disagree that design in the broadest of terms is key to the
perceptions most customers have of the restaurants they frequent. And
by design I am not referring only to color selection, the choice of
material finishes, or even the layout of dining rooms and serveries.
Design in the largest sense encompasses these things and many others,
ranging from the creation of a restaurant's identity to its lighting,
food merchandising sit-down "neighborhoods" and overall mood."
"...food is not the only thing that restaurant customers are looking
for today. When they go to lunch they want a break from the work
environment; they want to purchase and consume their meals in a place
that offers a sense of life and excitement; they want "entertainment."
What they most certainly do not want is a dining experience that
amounts to waiting in a cafeteria line."
"Design for the customer, not the designer: enhancing the customer's
dining experience, not just creating design "photos ops," by Ron
Kooser. Food Management. August 2003
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m0BGE/9_38/107395424/p1/article.jhtml
*****************************************************************************
Customers seek an atmosphere that will create an enjoyable social experience
*****************************************************************************
"The food service sector wants to meet and satisfy customer
expectations in relation to all aspects of its business: food quality,
service, ambience and information. Restaurants and contract caterers
have direct contact with their customers and suppliers.
** "A recent study of consumer behaviour by the UK?s Food Standard
Agency showed that customers perceive restaurants as totally different
from retail businesses. Most restaurant customers are seeking a
leisure experience that goes beyond simply buying food. They want to
enjoy a good meal, presented in an attractive way, in an appealing
atmosphere as part of an enjoyable social experience."
From "Restaurants serve meals; retailers sell food." European Modern
Restaurant Association, European Federation of Contract Catering
Organisations and Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe.
http://www.hotrec.org/areas/food/Food%20leaflet-electronic%20version.pdf
*******************************************************
Customers want an atmosphere where they feel pampered
*******************************************************
"Recently, I reread a piece of research, Food Trends 2000, published
in Nation's Restaurant News in December 1999. The study presented
psychological profiles of a broad diversity of the kinds of people who
dine out, thus enabling readers to plan product and service
opportunities to meet the needs of those people. And what, you may
ask, is the premise? If you know what your customers expect, you can
engineer everything from the greeting to the good-bye to exceed their
expectations."
"The study found that the basic consumer need -- indeed, perhaps the
most essential -- was the need to be pampered. That makes sense to me.
Granted food quality, service skills and ambience are values that
impress and score in the dining experience. But if you insist on
treating your customers as if they were there to please you, it won't
matter how brilliant everything else is."
..
"Because dining out often is now the evening's entertainment and no
longer the prelude to something else, turn your restaurant into
intimate theater. Make the customer the star in your restaurant's
plot. Make your Italian restaurant an Italian holiday. Use signage,
costumes, music, even staff conversations sprinkled with references,
such as, "Since you can't visit Rome this week, we're bringing Rome to
you -- right now. Just taste it." Use the same techniques for any kind
of ethnic eating experience."
"Pamper, pamper, pamper. Nothing will make guests feel worse than a
lack of attention, either premeditated or inadvertent. Even if your
restaurant is jammed from the moment it opens until closing, make sure
you pamper each guest as if he or she were the only one in the place."
Read more...
From "Attention, operators: Pampering every customer likely leads to
repeat business," by James F. Matorin. Nation's Restaurant News, March
26, 2001
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3190/13_35/72891530/p1/article.jhtml
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Customers enjoy the fine touches, like linens
**********************************************
"Ask anyone what was the most memorable aspect of their last
restaurant meal, and chances are slim that they'll mention the
napkins. Even so, table linens have always helped establish a
restaurant's ambience. Although customers may talk about the food and
the service, they notice the linens.
"Linen makes a statement for a lot of restaurants," says Izzy
Kharasch, president of Hospitality Works, an international restaurant
consulting company headquartered in Lincolnwood, Illinois. "It's an
expectation in a fine-dining restaurant. There are many midscale
restaurants where you wouldn't expect linen, but when you get it, it
helps move your opinion of the restaurant up a notch. It's a fine
touch that you'll remember."
"That Touch of Cloth: Choosing and Caring for Restaurant Linens."
Restaurants USA. June/July 1999.
http://www.restaurant.org/rusa/magArticle.cfm?ArticleID=445
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Customers want an atmosphere that offers escape from everyday life
******************************************************************
"The finicky American consumer who has become more sophisticated about
food, beverages, service and pricing also has become more aware of the
physical environment where meals take place, say restaurant designers
and foodservice consultants across the country."
"However, restaurateurs do not have to compete with theme parks to
create a customer-pleasing setting, those experts add. Instead, they
recommend that operators consider design as one of several factors
that must work together to ensure a concept will endure."
"Pat Kuleto, the San Francisco-based designer who also co-owns and
operates the restaurants Boulevard, Farallon and Jardiniere in that
city, says customers are relying on restaurants to provide an escape
from ordinary life and give new meaning to the idea of "going out."
"...People spend lots of time in cubicles. They're sick of being in a
sensual void and want to be in a warm, human environment."
* Materials that can be used to can be used to create a softer and
more "at home" atmosphere include ambient lighting, vibrant colors,
old wood, stone, and vintage hardware.
(Read more......_
"Customer satisfaction: Ambience," by Amy Spector. Nation's Restaurant
News. Sept 13, 1999
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3190/37_33/55821084/p1/article.jhtml
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Customer expectations in a Pub Atmosphere
******************************************
The following two articles discuss customer expectations of ambience
in a Pub atmosphere:
=
"Many pub customers talk of the importance they attach to the ambience
of the pubs they visit, and indeed the industry has long recognised
that ambience is a critical factor in attracting customers to the pub.
But what exactly is ambience and how can you improve or change the
ambience of your outlet to attract your target audience?"
"The dictionary defines ambience as "the surrounding atmosphere
characteristic of a particular place" (1). Coors Brewers research has
shown that "atmosphere" is the reason most frequently given by
customers for liking an outlet, it is therefore critical that the
atmosphere you create is attractive to the type of consumers you want
to attract to your outlet" (2).
"An outlet's ambience will be created from a wide variety of factors
that can all be altered to a greater or lesser extent; decoration and
furnishings, staff, customers, service standards, product range, music
and entertainment, lighting etc."
The rest of the article discusses how ambience is affected by issues surrounding:
* seating and decor
* lighting
* music
* availability of non-smoking areas
* the range of products offered
* producing a comfortable atmosphere with a "welcoming" staff.
Footnotes from article:
(1): Longman Dictionary of the English Language (1984)
(2): Project Dragon (2002)
"Ambience service." The Publican. December 5, 2003
http://www.thepublican.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=11903&d=131&h=132&f=51&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y
==
"To understand what is understood by ambience in pubs and bars I asked
my colleagues in the office and the responses came flooding back
including environment, surroundings, size of the room, the amount of
tables, the amount of people in it and music or TV."
"Ambience clearly encompasses all the factors that affect how people
feel when they are in a pub. These range from those that may seem
obvious, such as dècor, lighting and music, to the fundamentals of
successful trading as discussed in this column previously, that is
merchandising, promotions and ranging."
.....
"Ambience is a crucial factor in attracting customers to a pub because
it affects how people feel, therefore affecting their overall
experience. Decide upon what type of customers you want to attract.
Find out what is important to these customers. Ask a sample of your
target market about all the criteria that effect ambience:
* Dècor and furnishings
* Staff
* Service standards
* Range (food and drinks)
* Music
* Entertainment
* Lighting
"Make sense of it." The Publican. December 5, 2003
http://www.thepublican.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=11902&d=131&h=132&f=51&dateformat=%25o%20%25B%20%25Y
********************************************
Customers value interesting design elements
********************************************
"According to a 1995 survey by the National Restaurant Association, 44
percent of respondents said they liked stimulating and active
restaurant environments....Simply put, the more consumers eat out, the
more sophisticated and demanding they become."
Making a restaurant more inviting through color and space changes
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Zankel hired a new designer, Anna Veyna, who immediately began to
work on the design problems. She changed the colors of the facade and
added a banner to the outside of the restaurant to intrigue people
from a distance. And she and Zankel moved the marble-topped bar to the
front room, pairing it with cushioned banquettes set up in the
windows. "Now, when people walk by, they see a busy, buzzing, happy
scene and they want to be a part of it," says Zankel, who reports that
during the first week after the redesign, Zinzino's sales soared 80
percent higher than the restaurant's previous best week."
Lighting, Seating and Decor are vital
---------------------------------------
"Both Cooper and Zankel believe that good design can do more than just
draw people to the door. Two years ago, Cooper put Jake's through a
renovation. Although he did not change the idea behind the restaurant,
he added subtle improvements. For example, he upgraded the
restaurant's lighting, adding fixtures made of Italian blown glass
decorated with metal vines and leaves created by a local jewelry
designer, and made improvements to the chairs. "It was amazing how
much the customers appreciated what we were doing," he says. "Our
business jumped by 30 percent."
"Zankel also found that seemingly small details could have a big
effect on his customers. When he redesigned Zinzino, he spent $16,000
just on the lighting. "And even if we had done nothing else, that
would have improved the restaurant 100 percent," he says. "I don't
know if people consciously think, 'I look good in this restaurant,'
but light plays a big role in people's psychology."
"Cooper's renovation of Jake's included the addition of 22 seats.
Careful attention to the feel of the restaurant allowed it to absorb
the extra seats without wrecking the feel of the place for customers.
"If you give people a comfortable chair, high ceilings and a
good-sized table, you can push them together a little more," Cooper
says."
Ambience is not only for the upscale restaurants. Lower-cost
restaurants can create nice atmosphere to draw in a wider spectrum of
customers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"At Ben Pao, for instance, the look is definitely upscale - at the
dining-room entrance, water ripples with a soothing sound down two
granite sculptures designed by artist Eric Orr - but the prices are
not."
"The two Sopraffina Market Caffes located in Chicago definitely fall
into the fast-food category: They are self-service, and half of their
business is carryout, with an average lunch ticket of $5.60. But an
artful design gives the units an appealing ambience. "If you put
tablecloths on the tables, it could be a fine-dining restaurant," says
Sopraffina's designer and architect Mark Knauer."
Customers are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes
----------------------------------------------------------
Says Pat Kuleto, a restaurant designer, "As the dining population
began to become more sophisticated, it became more difficult. Now, you
need a whole concept, a total package, where the exterior, the
interior, the food, everything works together."
"Other designers agree. "In order for a restaurant to be a living,
breathing space where people want to go, the food, the service and the
decor all have to come from one point of view," says David Rockwell, a
restaurant designer based in New York City."
Read more...
"Artistic License: Creating Picture-Perfect Restaurants," by Cheryl
Ursin. Restaurants USA, September 1996
http://www.restaurant.org/business/magarticle.cfm?ArticleID=185
**************************************************
Noise - Some customers love it and others hate it
***************************************************
Restaurant critics often get complaints from consumers about noise level.
"The recent trend of restaurants raising noise levels to make their
restaurants appear more active and energetic annoys many critics. They
feel that a lot of noise tends to interrupt the dining experience.
Excessive sound makes it hard to carry on conversations with the
people at your table, not to mention your server."
"I love food and the socialization of eating, but the whole ?food as
entertainment? atmosphere is a real turn-off," says Haram."
"I have received so many letters from readers about high noise levels
in restaurants that I am considering adding a noise level category to
my reviews," adds Truex. To help control noise levels, he suggests
avoiding the use of concrete floors, which reverberate everything from
clanking dishes to background music. Truex also recommends using a lot
of fabrics as décor, like tapestries or drapes to absorb sound.
"One restaurant in New York has even put velvet fabric under the
tables to help keep noise levels down at the table setting. "With
fabrics you can get as creative as you like with décor. They also
create a soothing environment perfect for business or romance," Truex
adds."
"Wine and Dine Critic," by Serenity Walker. Food and Service News
Online. October 1999
http://www.restaurantville.com/fsn/searches/page.cfm?aid=46&ps=7
=
Find the right noise level for the type of restaurant
-----------------------------------------------------
"Noise can equal atmosphere in some operations, while in others it is
merely an annoyance. Finding the right decibel setting for your eatery
can create the perfect ambience to complement your concept."
"The loud environment at Blackbird works, says Phil Vettel, restaurant
critic for the Chicago Tribune. "The tables are very close together,
it's very noisy, and people love it," he says."
"But in some restaurants, quiet reigns supreme. Another Windy City
restaurant, one sixtyblue, offers diners an oasis of tranquility.
"It's big and open, and it brings in a kind of a hip crowd. But at the
same time, they have taken some pains to try and mitigate the sound,"
says Vettel. Those pains include using carpeting in much of the room
and positioning the display kitchen to the side of the dining area. At
one sixtyblue, the "conversation-friendly" atmosphere works, says
Vettel."
** "A restaurant's noise level should never be accidental, as it is
one of the most important elements when it comes to creating a mood,
says Adam Tihany, architect, designer and president of New York's Adam
D."
"Fortunately, acoustics is one of the most controllable elements in a
restaurant's design, so operators can quickly diminish the din or
crank up the clamor depending on the atmosphere they want to create
and the type of customer they want to attract."
(Read further for different restaurant types in relation to noise
level, and the design changes that can be made to alleviate noise)
"Sound Advice," by Madeleine Burka. Restaurants USA. March 2000.
http://www.restaurant.org/rusa/magArticle.cfm?ArticleID=551
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A Sterile look can turn customers away
***************************************
The owners of Panera Bread have already learned this lesson. They were
forced to realize that ambience is a critical part of a restaurant's
success when their earlier venture, Au Bon Pain, ran into financial
problems.
"Panera, which formerly ran Au Bon Pain (it divested the chain in 1999
to focus on Panera stores), learned the importance of ambience the
hard way. Au Bon Pain stumbled in part because it chose a sterile look
for the stores, according to analysts. The food at Au Bon Pain never
lost its appeal, they add, but the fast-food-chain style of seating
and lighting turned off diners.
..
"Providing a respite is part of Panera's appeal, and it has built
stores that can accommodate lots of sit-down customers. With their
trendy-looking fixtures, leather couches, and warm, earth-toned
wallpaper, Panera shops often serve as hangouts or meeting places. "It
feels like some of Starbucks' cafes, but it's more of a restaurant
style, with tables and chairs," says Steve Jones, partner at
King-Casey, a retail design and branding consulting firm in Norwalk,
Conn., that has done work for Panera through its beverage partner
PepsiCo."
"Panera Bread: An Appetizing Stock," by Amy Tsao. BusinessWeek online.
March 2002. http://www.businessweek.com/bw50/content/mar2002/a3776069.htm
***************************************************************
CUSTOMER DEMANDS FOR MORE ATMOSPHERE PUT DESIGNERS TO THE TEST
****************************************************************
"Indoor waterfalls, warm earth tones, whimsical tableware, oversized
furniture, eclectic art objects-today's restaurants often look like
modern-art museums rather than dining facilities, a fact that
sometimes generates more comments about their decor than their menus.
Consumers now expect an entertaining atmosphere to enhance the entire
dining experience, and more restaurateurs are catering to that desire
with innovative and exciting designs. According to the National
Restaurant Association's 2001 Restaurant Industry Forecast, restaurant
operators are investing more than ever before in restaurant design and
decor as they strive to create a setting that will set them apart from
the competition."
"Even restaurants with low budgets are paying more attention to color
palettes and furnishings, recognizing that design is a major component
in a restaurant," says Paul Lukez, principal of Paul Lukez
Architecture in Somerville, Massachusetts."
"Aesthetics have become an integral part of dining out, and more
operators are placing as much importance on the setting in which they
serve their food as they are on the food itself. According to the 2001
Restaurant Industry Forecast, a majority of restaurateurs report that
they have remodeled their dining areas since 1996. This increased
interest in interior design has both fullservice and quickservice
operators looking for additional ways to provide a feast for the
eyes."
Creating a more natural look
------------------------------
"People are veering away from metals and glass, and [using] fabrics
and colors to create warmer and more intimate environments," says
Brian Stubstad, director of design and architecture for P.F. Chang's
China Bistro, headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. The contemporary
design - which is different at every location - features slate, stone
and wood with warm, rich tones of gold, amber and red. Chinese
sculptures and custom hand-painted murals depicting ancient Chinese
stories complement the Oriental motif."
"Color can enhance or detract from the dining experience. It can
entreat customers to linger over dinner or bolt out the door. "Color
is one of the most significant things in design," says Stubstad.
"Colors can make or break a restaurant." P.F. Chang's uses colors to
create a "warm and comfortable feeling," he says."
"The psychology of colors has proven that warm earth tones - ranging
from pale yellows to deep-tone reds, browns, russets and purples - are
more appealing in a dining establishment, and they also enhance the
physical environment, hence making [customers] feel more comfortable
and attractive," says Davidson. "Cool tones such as blues, greens and
steely earth tones, when used in great quantities, can make a space
feel cold and uninviting. These colors should be used sparingly as
relief tones."
"Bold, vibrant colors convey high energy and invite interaction; flesh
tones like browns, reds and ambers are appetizing colors, because they
harmonize well with food colors, as opposed to purples and colder
colors. "Remember that colors vary across the country based on
climate. For example, in hot climates, colors tend to be lighter
because of the overall heat aspect; in the North and colder climates,
deeper tones can be used," says Schultz."
Even the bathroom creates ambience
------------------------------------
"In the quest to impress guests, restaurateurs are turning their
restrooms into works of art. "Bathrooms are becoming beautiful, kind
of like dessert, an extra," says Tom Sietsema, Washington Post food
critic."
"For example, P.F. Chang's ladies' room has custom-colored concrete
sinks with exclusive hardware, a full-length mirror, millwork and wood
finishes, stone tile, and incandescent lighting. "I believe restroom
design plays a role in our guests' overall experience," says
Stubstad."
Read more.....
"Delicious by Design: Creating an Unforgettable Dining Experience," by
Sarah Smith Hamaker. Restaurants USA. December 2000
http://www.restaurant.org/rusa/magArticle.cfm?ArticleID=131
ADDITIONAL READING
===================
An excerpt from Restaurant Design and Atmosphere follows:
Physical components affecting perception of atmosphere:
* Colors
* Illumination
* Noise
* Ambient temperature, relative humidity, odors
* Type of seating (tables, booths, counters)
* Furnishings, floor and wall coverings, napkins
* Shape and size of rooms
* Layout of tables
* Appearance and dress of employees
* Menu design
* Sanitary conditions
* Exterior design
* Landscaping
"Restaurant Atmosphere and Design."
(This is a "cached" article with an attached PDF file that opens but
is unreadable. I have provided the cached link, but it often happens
that the link does not work when answers are posted. If this happens,
please type the title of the paper into your search engine and click
on the "cached" version)
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:bBLh-wbTxl4J:www.fsb.upm.edu.my/~lectures/foodtech/pmk3505/Part3.pdf+restaurant+atmosphere&hl=en&start=8&ie=UTF-8
This article appears to have originated from a lecture from the
Faculty of Food Science & Biotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Books
======
"Successful Restaurant Design," by Regina S. Baraban (Author), Joseph
F. Durocher (Author) John Wiley & Sons; 2nd edition (January 26, 2001)
Available on www.amazon.com
==
If any of the links fail to work correctly, or you need further
clarification regarding the original paramaters of this answer, please
don't hesitate to ask.
umiat-ga
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