There is a lot that goes into starting a brand new restaurant, and one of the most important aspects is the restaurant construction.
According to a study from Cornell University, 26% of restaurants fail within the first year of opening, an alarmingly high rate. In year two, it doesn’t get a whole lot better, with 19% closing up shop.
Before opening your restaurant in Atlanta, you need to seriously consider the design of your space and how it will appeal to your customers. RTF Construction has years of experience in restaurant construction, renovations, and build-out. We’re a commercial construction general contractor that you can trust to see your vision through and even expand on your ideas.
Before starting on your restaurant construction project, there are 5 things that you need to know.
1) Choose the right general contractor.
The right contractor will know the restaurant market and will have prior experience building restaurants in Atlanta. They’ll also be incredibly mindful of your budget. Restaurant owners are of course extremely attentive to the budget and a good contractor knows that. They’ll often have knowledge of quality products that can be purchased at a very affordable price.
2) Pay close attention to dining trends.
A customer’s desired dining experience is constantly changing as the world of technology and convenience becomes more and more advanced, therefore it’s vital for a restaurant owner to always be updated on the latest dining trends. For example, the acoustics are more important today than ever before. In fact, many food critics now walk around with decibel measuring tools so they can see how loud customers need to be in order to hear their dining partners. These days, the average loudness of a restaurant is 80 decibels, which is loud enough to cause hearing damage. This is caused by some of today’s dining architecture trends, which include high and exposed ceilings, minimal decor, and lack of soft surfaces.
3) Be aware of local building codes.
Health and building inspectors will be tough on following local codes. When designing your restaurant, you will need to make sure that you’re not skirting building codes, and you’ll need an experienced Atlanta general contractor who’s knowledgeable of them. If you’re not up to code, the fines are steep and oftentimes can put a restaurant under before it even begins.
4) Be willing to seek advice from your general contractor.
It’s of course a good contractor’s goal to stay close to your vision, but don’t be hesitant to take advice, as experienced contractors know a lot about design layouts. Let’s say you have a specific mindset about a kitchen layout. Your contractor may tell you that it might be inefficient or unworkable for your staff. Be prepared for tweaks in your vision.
5) Pick your perfect location.
The location of your restaurant is incredibly important not just for budgetary reasons, but the location will also need to make sense with your design and brand. For example, if your restaurant is more upscale and clearly targeting people who live in or near the city, its location needs to reflect that.
RTF Construction is proud to serve its Atlanta customers with commercial construction and restaurant renovation projects. If you are looking to get started on building your restaurant, give us a call at (770) 972-4550 for a free consultation.
