Do you have problem areas?
In the ideal restaurant, there would never be such a thing as a “bad” table. Whether that’s from a location standpoint (right in front of restrooms, or anywhere that customers don’t usually want to sit) to wobbly, shaky or unlevel tables. Tables that are smack in the center sometimes aren’t desirable either as it’s harder to get up and out of seats to leave, or go to the restroom. One way to anticipate the customer’s experience is to sit in every chair in your dining room. Are the tables sturdy; do they wobble; are seats easy to get in and out of; these are some questions that you can answer quickly if you’re seeing it from the eyes of the customer before you open your doors.
The dining room for the staff
This space doesn’t simply create the mood for your customers, it also is a functional place for your servers. The customers gather here, so you’ve made sure that it’s comfortable and welcoming; however, your servers need to have space to walk with food trays, drinks, and other items between tables and chairs. Does the flow reflect that same comfort level for them? What happens if several tables get pushed together for a larger group, will your servers still have room to move between other tables? Do the servers have easy access to their prep station(s)? Again, you can help prepare for this by moving around your space in anticipation of the problems they might encounter.
No budget for a redesign
Opening a new restaurant is expensive. There’s no denying that. Especially if you do any kind of redesign. You’ve hired a designer; you’ve got your contractors on board. But your start-up capital goes to inventory and equipment, not leaving a lot in your budget for the actual redesign.
While there are places that you can perhaps scrape pennies, one area that shouldn’t be ignored is your tables. The table is the foundation for your entire enterprise. Contractors, designers, and manufacturers often overlook this commodity item, especially the bases that your tops are supported by. After all, who looks underneath the top? Unless of course, the table wobbles during dinner.
You might instruct servers to go through the dining room and check for wobbly tables at the beginning of their shift, and they’ll place small plastic shims to keep the table from rocking back and forth; or, you might have them turn them slightly one way or the other to find that flat area of the floor. There’s a table or two that seem that they’re just wobbly on their base, or they lean to one side or the other, now what? If you’re checking underneath, so are your customers. Your servers find napkins, or paper wadded up and pushed under the feet. Now people are seeing what’s under the table, rather than that great food on their plate.
Table bases aren’t usually a big part of your total budget. But they can make a big difference in the total experience of your completed project. Make sure you’re getting the solid foundation your customers deserve by insisting on quality table bases from the table base experts at JI Bases.