A Beginner’s guide to restaurant furniture management to reduce the customer waiting time

When eating out, the first aspect that any customer takes into account in a restaurant is the palatability of its food. That said, though, the furniture set up in a restaurant also plays a crucial role. It is so because when eating a great meal, comfort is a must for your customers. The right furniture set up adds to the ambiance of your restaurant. Opening a restaurant business is a significant undertaking. Getting it off the ground and running the restaurant business initially is a considerable accomplishment. Hence, if you have set up your restaurant and it is up and running, kudos to you. However, as a restaurant owner, there are certain subtle things that you should always keep in mind. One such thing is the proper management of furniture in your restaurant.

The aspect of managing furniture in your restaurant

It is a widely observed fact that long waiting times in restaurants can be a significant source of dissatisfaction for your customer. To address this concern, while buying restaurant furniture, management is a must. In other words, one should manage the tables in such a manner that it can accommodate the maximum number of customers. In this scenario, where your customer is waiting, your floor manager can make all the difference. This is the reason that you should always encourage your floor managers to communicate directly with you as it would help reduce the dissatisfaction of your customers. Effective furniture management in restaurants can significantly increase the revenue of as it increases table turnover. For instance, the tables in restaurants can be combined to handle a large number of customers. 

How do customers react to the waiting time?

Efficient and effective management of furniture in the restaurant can significantly increase the customer satisfaction level. Customers tend to get more dissatisfied if they have to wait before the service. In this context, it is essential to note that the initial waiting time greatly determines the wait behavior of the customer. If a customer arrives in your restaurant and witnesses long queues, then there is a higher possibility that he or she would leave. This, in turn, can be a huge setback for your restaurant. This is the reason that restaurant furnitureneeds to be configured in a proper manner. If the furniture is managed effectively, the waiting time of a customer reduces, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.

The psychology behind proper seating of the customers

It is the usual fact that environments influence the behavior of people. Ambient factors like color, sound, scent as well as the interior features of a restaurant much determine the turnover for your restaurant business’ turnover. Another crucial factor lies in the fact that a customer’s length of stay is not only dependent on the palatability of the food. It is also reliant on comfort levels. The shape and material with which the furniture is manufactured also tell a great deal about the length of stay of a customer in your restaurant. On the other hand, furniture that guarantees a great deal of privacy tends to result in a higher average check of the customer.

Table management and performance management

Earlier studies on table management were conducted mostly within the framework of revenue management. As per many experts, restaurant furnituremanagement can also be included under the notion of revenue management strategy. It is interesting here to note that dedicated furniture or combinable furniture also greatly assesses the behavior of the customer. If you are opting for combinable furniture to accommodate a large number of customers, it would depend on the size of your restaurant and the mean size of the customers. It is also vital to mention that combinable furniture works best in those settings where there are small and medium mean party sizes.

Furniture management in restaurants varies with demands

Variations in the demand level would affect furniture management in restaurants. In other words, furniture management in restaurants would be carried out by taking into account the demand levels. If you consider arranging your restaurant furniture in line with the demand levels, then the waiting time of your customers would be significantly reduced. However, you have to note that two factors usually characterize the demand level in restaurants. One is the distribution of the party size of the customers, and another is their arrival rate. If you notice that a large customer party has arrived at your restaurant, you should opt for combing furniture to accommodate them.

Furniture assignment policies to be followed in a restaurant

If you want to accommodate the maximum number of customers in your restaurant, then the best thing to do is to consider the furniture assignment policies. However, the furniture assignment policies are much dependent on the peak hours of your restaurant. These sets of furniture assignment policies are characterized by the different priorities for the location of the furniture of the incoming customers. Here is the detailed description of these arrangements.

• Front-to-back arrangement: It usually permits customers to sit away from the back area of the dining room (the restrooms or the kitchen). These areas are noisy and may disturb the customers. Hence, the front area is always a preferred location for ideal furniture management.
• The in-out policy:This furniture arrangement would come into play when there is an attraction in the center, and customers want to sit near the event.
• The out-in policy: This seating arrangement allows the customer to sit near the window. Moreover, being seated near a wall or window can significantly enhance their security.
• The random seating policy: It is that kind of a system that places equal chances on each seat in any area of the restaurant.

It is important to note that where to seat customer groups is much dependent on whom the customers are. If it is your regular customer, then you have to prioritize the seating arrangement as per his or her needs. Also, the managerial skills of the floor manager come to the fore in these situations. Moreover, to be aware of the characteristics of the customer is a bonus in the strata of furniture management in restaurants.