Monthly Archives: November 2009
The Green Zone: how to go green in the restaurant biz
Being “green” isn’t necessarily the newest topic of choice, but it is a rather challenging topic when it comes to the restaurant industry. Restaurants have a fast paced work environment and usually use many resources on a daily basis. So getting creative is vital when considering going green. It is also important to have your entire staff on board and aware of the various ways they can help you go green. Have each station set up with a way to go green (wait stations, kitchen, dish room etc.)
Tip #1 is to recycle! This is also not a new concept either but when you consider how many customers read newspapers, many restaurants provide newspapers, you would save a whole lot of trees, 75 million to be exact. Recycle the newspapers or any other paper products whenever you can. According to Fox news each year, 10 million tons of newspaper are not recycled, but thrown away in landfills.
Tip #2 is to move your heater thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up two degrees in summer saves over 2,000 pounds of Co2 emissions-which is over $100 on your annual energy bills. This is definitely a win win situation.
Tip #3 is to switch all Styrofoam products to paper products. Restaurant use Styrofoam products for a number of things such as to go cups, boxes, soup cups, and coffee cups.
Tip #4 is to purchase foods that are locally grown and/or organic to support the reduction of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. It also reduces any pollution associated with long distance transportation
Tip #5 if you own a restaurant or are opening a restaurant you have to be willing to put the time, money, and effort into going green. And, if you are, you can purchase energy efficient kitchen appliances.
Are You a Restaurant Owner?
If you are, a restaurant owner that is, you have a lot of decisions to make before the opening of your restaurant. Many having to do with whats on the menu, where the building will be located, and who will be the perfect employees. But when it comes to the design of your restaurant, or any other business for that matter, there are many nonverbal aspects to consider.
For instance, if you were to consider putting round tables in your building you are actually encouraging communication between the people who choose to sit at them. A longer table establishes more of a business setting by having two “heads” of the table and allowing for a larger group to sit at them. A booth generally encourages conversation and keeps customers sitting longer because of comfort. You should also consider the lighting of your building, if you have bright lights people will feel the urge to leave as soon as possible which may or may not be the result you want. But if you happen to be in the restaurant industry you most certainly want your guests to stay as long as possible to enjoy great food and a great environment. (The longer they linger the more they are going to want to taste off the menu!).
Another nonverbal to consider when opening a restaurant is the scent or smell you give off to customers. Your memory is triggered at a much higher percentage by smell than any other sense, so you want to give off a smell in which could be triggered by many other things. The key to your scent is to create an emotional connection. Maybe you own an Italian restaurant and the scent you give off is garlic and fresh-baked bread, then any other time the customer encounters this scent he or she will recognize it in connection with your restaurant. Another scent an owner might choose to put throughout their building is lavender, which tends to make people feel relaxed and at ease (always a good thing).
Lastly, the color scheme of your restaurant is very important. This includes everything from fabrics, decorative items, all the way down to employee uniforms. First and foremost the color white represents cleanliness which is a good quality for any business to have. Next, if you are opening an upscale restaurant perhaps you want a color that represents prestige. Purple would be the color to go with since it is highly associated with royalty, although this is a misconception. The color blue was actually the color for royalty which is where the term “royal blue” derived from. Gray and black are associated with many different qualities such as sternness, dependability, businesslike, and reliability.Yellows and reds create energy and green represents growth, wealth, and nature to name a few.
Overall, if you are or plan to be a restaurant owner the decisions you have to make are manageable! But pay special attention to detail, nonverbal design could be the key to your business’s success.
Take our Seating Poll
[polldaddy poll=2268502]
Dont Settle…Customize It
Many buyers may end up settling with booths they don’t 100% love, maybe because it is not offered by the company they are doing business with. As a buyer you may feel like there are limitations to how great your restaurant can look. So, If you can envision it then it is a great idea to custom build your booths to fit the scheme of your application’s environment. Booths can easily be customized if you choose the right provider. That provider should have plenty of options available. The photograph of the black booth is a single shop special booth with a 2″ foam padded back and spring seat. It has an upholstered outside back and black ABS material on all bases. This is a simple looking booth but if you wanted to customize it you would be able to choose from any
- fabric color
- fabric design.
- booth shape
- overall height
You name it and we customize it
Before – Basic After – Customized
A Modern Take on Restaurant Booths
It seems like restaurant booths have been around forever. Some may imagine them as being in old fashioned burger and pizza joints or any other laid back environment. But the truth is booths are the most comfortable and practical seating option for your customer no matter what the application is. Booths are long lasting and involve very little upkeep.
Booth seating can be used anywhere and everywhere and still look sophisticated. You can customize the booth to tailor to your business’s atmosphere. There are endless options when it comes to customization. You can choose fabric colors, textures, and wood finishes. You may choose a long wall bench for a waiting area, as well as half circle booths for private dining. All of these apply to different applications aside from the restaurant industry. As long as you have a need for seating in your building, booths will be your best bet! People enjoy comfortable seating.
Here are a few ideas for a more modern approach to booth seating. All booths made by Carolina Custom Booth. Click to see more
A Recipe For Quality
Carolina Custom Booth manufactures custom booths and now has table tops available all for your restaurant needs. To start off our web blog we are going to share a secret construction recipe with you.
Frame Construction
CCB booths are built to endure the stresses of the busiest restaurants. Constructed of 7/8 inch poplar hardwood with every joint glued and stapled for long lasting structural integrity.
Cushions and Fabrics
Extra thick high density foam cushions are upholstered with fabrics and vinyl’s from a large selection of styles and colors in grades to match any service requirement. C.O.M. material may be specified as well.
Custom Designs and Specifications
The booth designs shown in this catalog represent the upholstered collection and are shown in the standard style for each model. Optional back designs are shown with most booths. Standard sizes are shown on the drawings and charts, however, any design can be constructed to your special dimensions. Wood trim can also be added to these designs to match your décor. And, look for a new exposed wood collection to be added in the future.
Click to see the final products http://www.carolinacustombooth.com/index.html