For many restaurant owners, creating the right ambiance for your establishment doesn’t come as naturally as preparing wonderful food does. Striking a balance that doesn’t overwhelm customers and instead entices them to visit is all about paying close attention to the details when you’re setting up a concept. The SilverEdge team has put together some tips to help you easily create an ambiance that reflects your brand and cuisine and will attract more customers.

1. Lighting, lighting, lighting

This is perhaps as important as location when it comes to setting a mood in your restaurant. Make sure that light is equally distributed and sit in each area of the restaurant at different times of day to see how daylight affects the mood being set. There are many affordable options to automatically program and control lights individually or in groups so that you can set your lighting preferences to adjust automatically throughout the day.

2. Cleanliness

Nothing turns off customers more than grungy menus, spotted silverware or extra supplies stacked in odd corners. Having a spotless restaurant shows that you care about your establishment and your customers and creates an atmosphere where people can relax. Clutter and dirt creates stress, which is not something you want your customers to experience when they are your guests!

3. Sound

Noisy restaurants are trendy and can create a statement that this is the hottest, sexiest place to be dining. Or, they can be downright annoying. It’s best to err on the side of caution in this case and really take some cues from your clientele. If patrons are shouting to hear one another or cannot hear the background music playing, then investing in some simple sound absorbing technology is a good idea. In general it’s also best to choose music that has a more soothing melody versus a hard beat as a the music being played can affect your patrons’ appetites as well.

4. Flow

Having plenty of room for servers to get by, creating areas where families with young children won’t disturb others and strategically placing some tables for those who want more privacy all affects the ambiance in the restaurant. Not all customers have the same needs, but everyone should have an equally pleasant experience.

5. Theme

Choosing a theme that runs throughout your restaurant is perhaps the most difficult task of all. By keeping it simple and attending to some small details you can create just the right tone. Start with cuisine. What colors and décor reflect the cuisine you serve? For example, it would be fitting for a Mexican restaurant to have bright colors and artwork on the walls. And a farm to table restaurant could have softer colors and dishes that mix and match in a French country style. Whatever you choose, make sure the theme is carried out in each aspect of the restaurant – menus, fonts, table settings and even bathroom décor should reflect the theme.

Follow these guidelines, and your patrons will be spreading the news about the experience they enjoyed at your restaurant. The SilverEdge team is prepared to guide you through the point of sale system options that will be most effective in smoothly managing your restaurant. Contact a SilverEdge representative for an appointment. We’ll help you maximize the capability of your POS system so you can focus on growing your business. We are ready to help make your business richer!