There are many ways that you can create a delightful atmosphere in your restaurant that will draw in more customers. It will also help you to retain the customers that you already have, because they will want to return again and again. Atmosphere is more important in a restaurant than you may think. It sets the mood for your patrons and—if done correctly—will be inviting and sophisticated. Of course, the atmosphere should match the brand that you are trying to endorse.

Keep a Clean Restaurant

Your restaurant should be clean. Cleanliness is very important for a restaurant and will communicate to the customers who dine there that not only is the front of the restaurant clean, but the back is as well. It’s important to have a cleaning routine implemented so that everything gets cleaned regularly. That includes the walls and underneath the tables. Your restaurant should be cleaned daily as well as deep-cleaned regularly.

Hire Friendly Staff

Staff is one of the most important ways that you can create an atmosphere in your restaurant. Your staff is at the forefront of your business, and if they are warm and pleasant, your restaurant will be a place that people like to be as well as return to. They will also spread the word and drum up business for you. You want energetic and enthusiastic staff that care about their jobs and who show it. If you haven’t already, you should hire a host or hostess. Their job is primarily to greet the customers as well as show customers to their seats so that they feel welcomed.

Utilize Lighting

Lighting is another great way to set the atmosphere in your restaurant. You want the lighting to match the theme or décor of your restaurant. So if you have a chandelier, you may want to use candlelight to light your restaurant in the evening. You will also want to think about things such as how the natural light if any, effects the restaurant at different times of the day. You may need to invest in some special curtains to keep your restaurant from getting too hot and making it uncomfortable for your customers. It is a good idea to add dimmers if you haven’t already so that you can control the brightness of the light.

Paint the Mood

Colors also have an effect on the overall atmosphere of a room. You should use colors that match your logo in order to enforce what your company stands for. Warm colors tend to increase the appetite while cool colors such as blue tend to decrease the appetite. Warm colors such as reds and oranges tend to create a more comfortable atmosphere as well.

Design Your Menu

Your menu is another way that you can set the mood. It should outline clearly what your restaurant has to offer, and it should be somewhat minimal yet elegant. You can use paper menus to lend a more natural feel or a nice pamphlet. There are different ways that you can utilize menus. You can also use chalkboards to describe the day’s special.

Here at Italian Garden, we place a great deal of emphasis on atmosphere. We strive to create a dining environment that is both welcoming and homey. If you’re looking for some restaurant atmosphere inspiration, come pay us a visit and enjoy some home-style Italian cooking.