A successful restaurant is so much more than simply a place to eat; it’s a thoughtfully styled space that tells a distinct design story and provides an exceptional experience for diners. And of the many design decisions you’ll need to make, one of the most critical has to do with the furniture you’ll select. Custom restaurant furniture is an essential component of a well-designed interior and an effective business plan, offering a multitude of benefits in both the short- and long-term.
With the right restaurant furniture, you can create a welcoming, attractive ambiance. But just as importantly, you can provide a well-equipped working environment for staff — and above all, achieve your business goals for growth.
What is Custom Restaurant Furniture?
Although there are many options for mass-produced restaurant furniture, opting for custom tables, seating, and the like is quickly becoming the design norm.
Custom restaurant furniture allows you to perfect every last detail of a piece, choosing from various fabrics, wood types and finishes, sizes and shapes, and more. From selecting a premium leather in a particular shade of cognac brown to rounding table corners to fit a specific booth, the possibilities of custom furniture are virtually limitless.
Rather than attempting to “force” a mass-produced piece to fit into your design vision, opting for custom restaurant furniture means there’s no need to compromise. You may start the custom design process with a clear idea in mind; or, you may simply be working from a loose idea of how you want your space to look and feel. But with the right manufacturer on your side, you’ll turn inspiration into a fully-installed reality.
How Can Custom Restaurant Furniture Help Grow Your Business?
From a design perspective, it’s easy to see the many advantages of custom-designed furniture. But what about when it comes to the dollars and cents of building a profitable business?
As it turns out, custom furniture is one of the smartest investments you could make for your restaurant. Here’s why:
- Custom restaurant furniture helps create a unique, inviting atmosphere that attracts customers and persuades them to return time and time again. Your business will effortlessly draw new guests while consistently maintaining an enthusiastically loyal customer base.
- With custom furniture, you can strengthen your restaurant’s brand and build a recognizable and distinct presence in the industry. The interior of your restaurant is one of the most effective means of setting yourself apart from the competition.
- No matter how large, small, or oddly-shaped your restaurant’s footprint may be, custom furniture is made for a flawless fit. And when even a few inches can affect the functionality and efficiency of your space, nothing less than perfection will do.
- The quality of custom furniture far surpasses any mass-produced option, providing an exceptional level of craftsmanship and durability. As a result, your custom pieces will last much longer, so you won’t have to spend the money to replace them as often.
Reasons Why Customers Prefer Custom Restaurant Furniture
Now, you have a better understanding of how custom restaurant furniture benefits your business — but the advantages don’t end there. There are many reasons why your customers (and your staff) would opt for custom furniture, given the choice.
- Comfort.
Whether your restaurant features custom booths, bar stools, or chairs — or a combination of all three — your customers value comfort above all. Even the best menu will struggle to remedy an uncomfortable dining experience, which is why guest comfort is a top priority. Custom design makes it possible to create perfectly plush booth seating, supportive stools, and more.
And because the size and shape of custom furniture is also precisely designed, everything fits together exactly as it should. That means no awkward spacing, no chairs that are too short or too tall, and no tables that are crowded too closely.
- Originality.
One of the biggest challenges for any restaurant is the struggle to stand out in a highly competitive industry. When customers are deciding where they want to eat, you want your restaurant to be top of mind. And one of the most effective ways to do that is with a unique design.
Even for customers that don’t consider themselves particularly design-savvy, an aesthetically original restaurant inevitably makes an impression. In contrast, the establishments that rely on generic, mass-produced furniture and bland decor can easily fade into the background — never to be visited again.
Now more than ever, your customers expect a memorable dining experience. This goes beyond the food, drinks, and service, and extends to the actual design of your space — does yours measure up?
- Functionality.
The overall flow of a restaurant makes a world of difference for both customers and employees. Your staff needs to be able to easily move throughout the space, particularly when their hands are full with heavy trays. And for your customers, navigating your restaurant should be simple and stress-free.
So, there should be a clear path for the flow of foot traffic, and not a single piece of furniture should impede that walkway. And because custom furniture gives you complete control over the size and shape of every table, chair, and booth, you can ensure an optimal layout.
Additionally, your restaurant needs to be equipped to host a wide variety of gatherings. From a casual weekend lunch to an impromptu business meeting, an intimate dinner, or a large birthday celebration, it is imperative for your space to be able to do it all. The flexibility of custom furniture makes it easier to design multi-functional spaces, so that your restaurant is ready for whatever may come.
And for you? As a business owner, your top priority is satisfying your customers. However, your experience matters too, and custom-designed restaurant furniture doesn’t disappoint.
You may be surprised to discover that the price of custom furniture is impressively competitive, especially when you consider the higher standards of quality. What’s more, an excellent manufacturer will provide an outstanding customer service experience, minimizing stress considerably. You’ll have the peace of mind of knowing that you are in excellent hands, and that your restaurant is going to be exactly what you’ve always hoped it would be.
Choosing a Reputable Custom Restaurant Furniture Manufacturer
Once you’ve made the decision to outfit your restaurant with custom furniture, you still have a crucial choice to make: who is the best furniture manufacturer for your project?
Selecting the right manufacturer is essential both to the outcome of your project and the design process itself. Here are a few key considerations to keep in mind during your search.
The best custom furniture manufacturers deliver a balance of quality and affordability.
Restaurant furniture is one of the most significant investments you will make for your business, and you can’t afford to be disappointed by a substandard level of quality. A reliable manufacturer will take pride in the quality and reliability of their pieces, which should boast a level of durability that provides good value for your money.
Remember that (in your customers’ eyes) poor-quality furniture will reflect badly on your restaurant, not the supplier. Your customers will blame you and your business for the shortcoming. Conversely, high-quality pieces will contribute to a good reputation for your business, so choose wisely.
As is often true, the old adage that “you get what you pay for” can certainly apply to custom furniture for restaurants. That being said, you can absolutely find excellent quality furniture for a fair, affordable price — you simply need to locate the right manufacturer.
For example, at Old Dominion Furniture, we take a highly collaborative approach to the design process. As a result, both your goals and your budget remain a top priority from the initial concept to the final installation. And because our sales team possesses extensive experience and skill, they excel at developing creative solutions that are equal parts beautiful and well-priced.
Clear communication and excellent service is a must.
When you’re executing a restaurant design project, the last thing you need is a furniture manufacturer that proves impossible to communicate with. It is crucial that you are able to get in touch with your manufacturer, especially if unexpected issues arise. Also, you should be able to expect regular updates, so that you are always aware of exactly when you can expect a final product.
Old Dominion Furniture has built our business on the principles of unparalleled customer service, so you can be confident that you’ll have an excellent experience. Even after your custom furniture has been completed and installed, we are here to help. Our friendly and responsive team considers each and every new client as a part of the extended Old Dominion family.
Look for a company with an established history of quality craftsmanship.
While there are plenty of newly-debuted custom furniture brands out there, your best bet is generally to trust a reputable manufacturer with the experience and know-how to serve your needs. Oftentimes, a so-called “custom” furniture manufacturer is actually only offering mass-produced furniture with a few varying options. Or, they may outsource the production process, making it impossible to monitor quality.
It is a far better choice to partner with a well-known name that has proven their commitment to excellence time and time again.
Old Dominion Furniture has been an industry leader for 40-plus years, and we are proud to have built countless long-lasting relationships with clients over those decades. All of our American-made furniture is created by our in-house craftsmen, specifically made to order according to your specifications. From selecting premium materials to adhering to strict timelines, we understand how to provide the best-possible products and service to our customers.
What are the Benefits of Custom Restaurant Furniture?
We have covered so many of the ways that custom furniture can support your restaurant’s success — but let’s revisit some of the “big picture” benefits of customizing restaurant furniture for your space.
Create the perfect atmosphere for your restaurant.
- With custom furniture, you can perfect how your restaurant looks and feels, shaping an ideal atmosphere that seamlessly suits your brand.
- By taking advantage of the unique and creative designs available, you can develop one-of-a-kind seating plans, booth layouts, and more. In turn, these details can contribute to the overall customer experience in exactly the way you would like.
- Custom furniture can help you create the perfect atmosphere for your restaurant by providing unique and creative product designs, restaurant booth layouts, and seating plans.
- With the ability to choose upholstery, finishes, and virtually every other detail, you can have furniture that matches your decor, colors, and overall ambiance.
You can save money in the long run.
- Custom furniture is built to last far longer than mass-produced furniture.
- The high-quality materials and craftsmanship used for custom furniture are specifically intended to stand the test of time
- At Old Dominion Furniture, our craftsmen have over a century of combined experience building furniture. So, you can rest assured that your custom furniture will be crafted by the very best in the business.
- Custom furniture can be made to exact specifications, so you get exactly what you want. So, you won’t find yourself in need of a redesign in a few short years.
Custom furniture helps you stand out from the competition.
- There’s no question that the restaurant industry is highly competitive, and finding ways to distinguish your brand is key. With custom furniture, you can achieve an attention-grabbing design that ensures that your business will be one that customers remember.
- Aesthetic design is just as important to the customer experience as the menu. And yet, so many restaurants fall short. With uniquely crafted custom furniture, you can be confident that your style is making the right kind of statement.
What Types of Furniture are Available?
Your selection and options for custom restaurant furniture will largely depend on your selected manufacturer. Some companies have strict limitations on their custom design process, while others allow far more freedom.
At Old Dominion Furniture Company, we consider every design vision within reach. Our fully-custom designs range from a single piece to a complete furniture package, tailored according to your needs.
The available selection of base styles features table tops, table bases, commercial restaurant booths, bar stools, chairs, and even essentials such as highchairs and tray stands.
If you’re starting with a base style, your options for customization include:
- Size
- Shape
- Material (wood type, laminate, etc.)
- Upholstery
- Finish
- Color
- Upgrades and add-ons
For many of our customers, our signature styles serve as a helpful jumping-off point for the custom design process. A classic shape could inspire an entire series of custom furniture designs, and we’re happy to accompany you on your creative journey.
For example, the clean lines and mid century-modern aesthetic of our Miller Chair could be the perfect blank canvas for an upholstered seat in a vibrant shade of blue or green. Or, the familiar shape of our Park Booth might lead to a new direction for your design, complete with booth seating painted in a custom shade.
Our goal is to make the custom design process as easy as possible. So, each one of our staple designs comes in a variety of finish and/or upholstery options, and you can choose from several suggested upgrades or add-ons. Of course, we can always start from scratch to create something entirely different as well — it’s completely up to you.