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Who hasn’t dreamt of owning a cozy bistro in a flourishing old town? Or a small seaside restaurant, where the catch of the day always sells before sunset? 

It sounds (and is!) idyllic. But owning a small restaurant is, in fact, a big challenge: just how ‘intimate’ can it be, before it loses its profitability?

In this article, we’ll explore how you can make a restaurant with limited seating a success. Using a smart outlay and dozens of clever tricks, you’ll be able to transform your restaurant into a revenue machine, maximizing both space and profit, while keeping the atmosphere great. 

The struggles small restaurants face

At first glance, the intimate setting in a restaurant may appear limited in its potential, but looks can be deceiving. From multi-functional furniture to clever use of lighting, there are a ton of strategies that you can employ to make the most out of your restaurant’s space. 

Of course, you’ll have to put the customer before all else – you want to create an inviting dining experience that they will want to return to time and time again. 

Before you place a bid on your dream restaurant, here are the challenges you need to be aware of: 

• The obvious: you will only be able to seat a limited number of people in a day. This requires thorough calculations to make sure the margins fit, and ideally, profit is being made.
• Staffing: the smaller the space, the more experienced you’ll want your staff to be. Not just because of the risks of bumping into tables (if it’s that small) – it also takes a special kind of staff to maintain a great atmosphere in a space where you can constantly hear and see everybody.
• Increased costs: the smaller your kitchen, the smaller your freezer, the bigger your bills. You’ll likely pay higher prices for ingredients and supplies, as you won’t have the same buying power as larger establishments.
• Limited kitchen space: it’s likely your cozy dining space isn’t backed by a surprisingly massive kitchen. This will limit the menu you can create, or cause longer waiting times for hungry guests.

Of course, none of these challenges are impossible to overcome. Especially with the tips you’re about to get. 

10 ways to make the most out of your restaurant space

Hungry for ideas for your tiny restaurant? We’ve got more than you can use – probably. 

1. Use technology to your advantage

We’ll start small, and somewhere not-so-obvious. Technology can be a massive aid in streamlining your restaurant operations and freeing up space. For example, you can create a menu online and use digital menus or tablet ordering systems, this eliminates the need for physical menus and reduces clutter around the restaurant. 

If you’re worried your digital menu won’t be as appealing to guests, put a little extra love into it. With Lightspeed’s free menu template, you can create great-looking menus that work well on phones and tablets, and match the mood of your restaurant. No need for a simple black-on-white menu – unless that’s the vibe you’re going for. 

2. Go vertical

Using vertical furniture to maximize space has two benefits: you can separate tables, creating a more private dining experience, and you can maximize storage space. Showcase your wine selection in a ceiling-high room divider, or use space in the walls to store glasswork or your most impressive plates. 

3. Use multi-functional furniture

The classy kind, preferably. And yes, that does exist! Look for tables that can be moved around swiftly or even extended, or build booths that have some storage space in them for the table’s necessities. Every small detail counts!

4. Create an efficient floor plan

You may have already fallen head over heels for those heavy oak tables, but that’s not the way to shop for restaurant furniture if you’re working with limited space. Instead, create a floor plan using a restaurant floor plan app and choose your furniture based on the dimensions you’ve worked out. It’ll save you tons of frustrating moments and broken glasses. 

5. Use smaller tables

We’re not trying to boycott big, beautiful tables here, but we’ve come here with a mission. Smaller tables can create a more intimate and cozy dining experience and can be arranged more efficiently. Just make sure to adapt your plates to them. 

6. Make the best of nooks and crannies

Is a corner of your restaurant collecting dust? Consider installing benches or booths in unused places. It can even be on a large window sill. It’s perfect for people who come to dine alone. 

7. Use your bar area

Plenty of restaurants have a bar but don’t use it to seat guests. This is a shame because it can create a truly intimate dining experience, and it is also a great place to seat lonesome diners. Even if it is just for drinks while diners wait, consider using your bar space for more than passing orders over.

8. Have a community table

If you do want a big table as a centerpiece in your restaurant, consider using it as a shared table during less busy hours. It means you can still make revenue from that space and won’t have to turn away guests who see a large empty table. 

9. Create a coworking space

While we’re at the topic of using your space smarter, consider opening your space up as a coworking space and manage that space with using coworking technology during off-peak hours. You won’t have to serve a full menu, so you won’t need your full kitchen staff – but you still keep the place bustling and attracting people. It can also help generate a little extra income and make use of otherwise empty space. If you really want to play it smart, offer those coming in for coworking sessions discounts for coming for dinner as well. 

10. Offer online ordering

Your restaurant can be anywhere in your city, as long as you open it up for online orders as well. There are plenty of advantages to offering ordering for your restaurant, but it’s significant if you’re battling small space.

It can help reduce the need for in store seating, while you can still serve more customers. Whether you use a delivery service or just allow for pickup, do make sure that there is a dedicated area for those coming to collect orders – you want to avoid clogging the space up even more. 

And for the details: how to set the tone in a small space

Of course, none of these revenue-boosting tricks really make a difference if your restaurant isn’t a pleasant place to be. Here are some decorating tips that will allow you to make your small place to look like a million bucks

Use colors strategically

Know that color has a considerable impact on how a place is perceived. Lighter colors can make a space feel larger and more open. Opting for darker colors can create a more cozy atmosphere, but can also make a space feel even smaller. 

Minimize decorations (or hang them from the ceiling!)

You’ll want your place to have character, but you don’t want that character to be the messy kind. So, choose your decorations wisely. You can also go for a lot of hanging decorations, keeping the floor and surfaces free, while still adding personality to your restaurant. 

Work with lighting

Just like the colors you choose, light also has a big impact on your space. You can use it to create either a more intimate look and feel, or to open it up. 

Mirror, mirror on the wall

With the smart use of mirrors, you can create the illusion of more space. Place them strategically on walls or behind your bar to create a bigger sense of openness and depth. Don’t scatter them around everywhere though, not everyone likes watching themselves eat.

Incorporate different textures in your furniture:

It’s hard to make super big spaces feel cozy, but in a small space, coziness thrives. You can make it even more comfortable and interesting by using different textures in your restaurant. We’re talking textured walls, textured fabrics on the seating, woven materials, or even textures on windows for an even more edgy vibe. The benefit of decorating a small space is that with less, you already create more. 

Small restaurant owners, dare to dream big

We’re sure you have Pinterest boards filled to the brim with decoration ideas, let alone inspiration for the actual menu maker. The biggest takeaway from these tips should be that there is a lot more possible in a small space than you might initially think. Get creative, and your customers will keep coming back. Also, check out more about creating a SWOT analysis for your restaurant.