Does your restaurant exterior look dated? Maybe you have noticed potential customers driving by and pulling in the newly opened restaurant a few doors down. You might have seen customers making comments on social media about how unkempt the exterior looks.
Whether you last updated the exterior of your restaurant a few years ago, or ten years ago, there are several easy restaurant exterior design updates you can make. The exterior colors, the use of signage, and lighting are all essential aspects to giving your restaurant a new look and feel.
#1: Replace the Entrance Doors
You can upgrade your entrance doors to stunning and gorgeous wrought iron doors. Wrought iron looks great, lasts a long time, and implies you care about your business. Plus, it is easy to maintain.
#2: Replace the Windows
If you want your new wrought iron doors to match, you can replace your windows with wrought iron windows too. This is optional, but think about the impact and elegant appearance you will have once you are done replacing your doors and windows with wrought iron!
#3: Update the Exterior Building Color
One aspect of restaurant design is to keep up with current restaurant exterior color trends. The color of your building should reflect your branding. Yet, at the same time, it needs to stand out and catch the eye of potential customers.
For example, if your branding colors are red, brown, and beige, you would want these reflected in the exterior building color. You could paint the main parts of the building red and use brown and beige as accents and trim colors.
#4: Upgrade the Exterior Lighting
Installing new light fixtures and LED lighting to brighten up exterior spaces will make your restaurant more approachable in the evening hours. You could also add bright and colorful exterior lighting on the building.
#5: Update Your Signage
You should update your restaurant signage to fit with your other restaurant exterior design updates. When you update your signage, remember to upgrade the light-up signs with LED bulbs. Make sure your signage is easy to see and can be read from a distance.
#6: Add a Drive-Thru Window
Unless you have a fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru, one current trend is getting food to go and eating at home. A drive-thru window makes it easier for customers to pick up their food orders.
#7: Create Reserved Parking for To-Go Orders
Another current restaurant trend is having reserved parking for curbside to-go orders. You can use signage and even paint the parking spots so they stand out. Reserved parking is also a great way to go when you do not have space or a building design that allows you to easily install a drive-thru window.
#8: Add Outdoor Dining Areas
You could add on a covered patio to your existing building or you could convert part of your parking lot and block it off with shrubs, bushes, large planters with colorful flowers, etc. Whether you set up tables in a covered area or outside, do not forget to use sunshades, umbrellas, and outdoor portable heaters to keep customers comfortable when they dine outside.
#9: Add Some Landscaping Features
Flowers, shrubs, bushes, stones, water fountains, a koi pond, and other such things can help beautify the exterior of your restaurant. You may also want to add some benches where customers can sit and wait outside until their table is ready.
#10: Keep Up on Restaurant Exterior Maintenance
After investing the time and resources to give your exterior restaurant design a new look, you will want to keep it well-maintained. Replace light bulbs when they burn out. Replace landscaping features, as needed. Pick up any trash around your property.
Bonus Tip: Update Your Restaurant Interior Design
If you are updating the exterior, it doesn’t hurt to give the interior a new design too. You could even hire an interior designer for assistance with a complete restaurant renovation.
For help finding the right wrought iron doors and windows for your restaurant, please feel free to browse our inventories online, or contact Universal Iron Doors at 818-771-1003 for further assistance or to learn more about our custom design options.