Design And Atmosphere In Customer Expectations About Restaurants

Design And Atmosphere In Customer Expectations About eating ho eng senescementsWhat defines a good eatery? A good location, wide variety of pabulum offered and prices trustworthyly atomic number 18 crucial factors scarce the best solid food in town wont help a restaurant out if the ambience is just not indemnify and customers dont feel comfortable. Some ilk it entertaining and lively, others prefer quieter gentle winds. Perfect Design brush offt foreshadow a bewitch atmosphere but can sometimes so far seem boring. In this study different categories of restaurants willing be identified, combined with an experiential research using three restaurants of different categories. E really important aspects of atmosphere creation will be explained and recommendations will be given.1 Introduction and line of reasoning of relevanceAims of the BBA ThesisThe aim of this Thesis is to identify the circumscribed aspects of customer satisfaction and analyze the importance of instaur ation and atmosphere in a cordial reception establishment, specifically in a restaurant environment. It will examine whether or not design is an important factor shaping customer expectations well-nigh a restaurant. Different techniques of internal design and atmosphere creation will be identified such(prenominal) as usage of colourise, lighting, practice session of smells and music. Further the thesis will explore achievementful design innovations in the Hospitality industry. The human horse reasons that can be flummoxd by design will be discussed and the in that locationfore farmd emotions and their feasible benefits to the hospitality industry identified. It will show how ambience affects consumer behavior and whether it can serve as a critical factor in determining the success or failure of a business. The thesis will also include examples of such successful design concepts.Analytical ProcedurePublications will be study and used to give an understanding of the term design, in relation to ambience creation. Different techniques and terms of design will be explained with the help of several publications provided in the list of resources. After giving the overall understanding of the given topic, the inseparable research synopsis begins. Using the website www.onlineumfragen.com, an online questionn zephyre was designed, featuring pictures of three restaurants of different design categories. First at that place be questions about the overall design and atmosphere aspects of each individual restaurant (named Restaurant A, B and C in the questionnaires). Later the respondents will be asked to choose one of the three to plan a special blusht (e.g. their birthday) at. Choosing to conduct the survey online gave the opportunity to define a population using networks such as Facebook (www.facebook.com). A group was fabricated on April 22nd 2010 and 1427 people were invited to join the group and kindly asked to complete the survey. After a week, the group was closed on April 29th. By then 201 people took part in the survey. After defining the relevance of design as a factor in customer expectations about a restaurant and how it thusly affects satisfaction by the example of three restaurants, the paper will give recommendations to farm customer satisfaction and then finish on the findings that were determined by the study.Restaurant DesignIn past times Interior Architecture or Interior Fitting described the very same process but the term Design became much to a greater extent appropriate in todays world. Be arrays planning and handcraft Design involves intention and craftiness. Restaurant Design requires experience and precise know-how. Looking at the industry one realizes that there is a lot of competition in an immense marketplace. Chances of surviving challenges like an economic crises or even just a change to a rude(a) trend seem very low nowadays.According to Kotler (1983) the field of market Research identified the i mportance of design and atmosphere in restaurants. The meaning of the total product gained importance, meaning the Restaurant and everything that comes with it. The tangible product, meaning the food and beverage aspect of the Restaurant play a minimal role in the buying decision of the customer. Kotler even claims that in some cases the atmosphere alone influences the buying decision the most.Design creates a new world of experiencesIn any given situation, whether in an upscale restaurant, in a dining car of a train, a simple tavern on the countryside, the guest should al ways be the center of attention. In any successful business t is essential to wield about the customer and try to fulfill his or her needs by all means. Especially in todays world, consumers be looking for change and want to seduce away from it all. This also means that it is not sufficient any more than(prenominal) to count on having a renowned chef and excellent food in your restaurant anymore. It is more and more necessary to distinguish your restaurant through graduation exercise-class service and create that special atmosphere in which guests will feel comfortable and the more will be animated to consume.It takes much more than simply changing the warp of the walls, putting up new curtains, changing the lights, buying new tableware or furniture when planning and designing a restaurant. The architecture and the design of the actual space create the stage for the play, in which the idea and concept of the owner or designer carry to be visually translated to the guests. The challenge here is to prepare guests for a culinary experience. This can be achieved through the right use of colors, materials and lightning to stimulate all five senses and thus prepare for consumption and pleasure.Significance of design and atmosphere in RestaurantsEating out has become as much a lifestyle choice and form of entertainment as a source of nourishment. (Ryder, 2007)The 7th P of trade and the 5 Senses of ManThe 4Ps of Marketing (Product, Price, Place and Promotion) have for a long-time counted as the Marketing classics. When looking at the Marketing Mix of a service we shall add three more Ps. These are commonwealth, Process, and corporal evidence.People in this case simply means Staff should have the appropriate interpersonal skills, attitude, and service knowledge to provide the service that consumers are paying for (Service Marketing Mix The 7Ps).Process refers to the systems used to assist the organization in delivering the services.More important in this study though is the last of the Ps Physical evidence.Physical Evidence is the element of the service mix, which allows the consumer again to coerce judgments on the organization. If you walk into a restaurant your expectations are of a clean, friendly environment. On an aircraft if you travel origin class you expect enough room to be able to lie down Physical evidence is an essential ingredient of the service mix, consumers will make perceptions found on their sight of the service provision which will have an impact on the organizations perceptual plan of the service. (Service Marketing Mix The 7Ps)Now likewise this crucial 7 Ps, there are also the 5 S that are of importance here. In other interchanges, it the 5 senses of man play a essential role in the buyers decision-making process. Man gathers all information through his environment. We experience our surroundings through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Since Man is exposed to a input satiation by todays industry, the sense of sight evolved as main criteria for perception of the surrounding environment.The sense of sightThe sense of sight is the most dominant of senses in todays times. 70 to 80% of our perception is influenced by the sense of sight (Sehsinn). The human sense of sight can and should be stimulated in many ways by gastronomy. The interior furnishing, the color schemes, the lightning techniques, va rious design contrasts, the cleanliness of the establishment and even the appearance of the staff are significant aspects that can determine the success or failure of a business. All these factors also help to create a lasting image of the establishment in the customers mind, and can therefore result in to a customer that will return and recommend the restaurant to friends. If these aspects fail to stimulate the sense positively, the customer is sure not to return.The sense of hearingThe sense of hearing allows Man to experience sound, noise and words and is fully authentic already 4 to 5 month prior to birth (Senses, 2007). In Gastronomy there are multiple ways to stimulate this sense, on one hand there is the background music that is often used to create a certain ambience. Conversations among guests or staff or even betwixt guest and staff and also noise that comes out of the kitchen can function as a stimulus. The soundscape should be lively, but not too loud and definitely no t too silent. The acoustics can be well directed by means of carpets, sound take up materials, tablecloths and other dcor. Depending on what kind of atmosphere one would want to create, the choice of music is some other crucial factor. A line must be drawn between establishments like the newest In-restaurant in new-made York City and that charming Brasserie in Paris Saint Germain. One could say there lie worlds between the two and this must also be implemented when choosing the music. In General one can say that the younger Generation is used to louder sound than the older, but in most hip restaurants in New York, the music is so loud there is barely any talking. Now imagine that soundscape in the charming Brasserie in Paris. So when making the choice about music volume one should consider the mean between the target groups and also not exit to adapt to the type of image and ambience one would want to transmit to the clients.The sense of tasteThe sense of taste is the least deve loped of all senses. delinquent to the fact that Man can only distinguish between 5 tastes it is almost unbelievable how a sense like that can determine our superior of life and joy for life to that ex race. The older we get, the less we taste. A newborn child has about 10.000 taste buds, whereas adults only have 5.000 on average. (Senses, 2007) Man can only taste four qualities. These are sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Other tastes are tasted through smelling, either through the nose or through the mouth and throat.The sense of taste is undoubtly the one of the most important factor for customer retention, but not anymore the most important in gastronomy. The menu and the quality of the food are factors that can determine the success of a business. If the food is good, the guests are more likely to turn a blind eye on shortcomings in the design and atmosphere. The optimum and everyones promise to glory and success is a good cabal of the both, since customers are willing to consu me more and with more pleasure if the right ambience is created around them. (Ryder, 2007)The sense of smellA designer who creates objects and spaces engages our sensations of touch, sight, and sometimes hearing. But what of our noses? Despite olfactions unmatched ability to evince memories and emotions-two essential objectives of design-smell is a relatively untapped medium in design practice. (Black, 2010)In gastronomy there are ways to market services through smell. The appetizingly smell of fresh prepared food, pertly brewed coffee, baked bred or even the smell of flowers can stimulate the sense of smell and therefore put the guests in a consumption clime. Strong eubstance odor of staff or disturbing smells of the kitchen should be reverseed as guests will feel disturbed and their appetite will probably be gone with the smell. Eva Wisten (2010) even goes so far as to claim that thread itself can be decribed as a form of design. All of the categories and critical tools we n ormally apply to design can also be applied to scent, from the recognition of a balance between means and goals, to the different degrees of engagement with the rest of the world. (WISTEN, 2010)Wisten further explains in her clause that scent is already being used widely as a design element. Manufacturers seem to be reaching a tipping point of awareness that scent is important in creating a total brand experience. For example, casinos, hotels, private clubs, new automobiles are often designed with signature scents. (WISTEN, 2010)Scent can play a more emotional, expressive, and even functional role in our mundane lives. Since Mans associations with scent are incredibly noticeable and cognitively bonded with memory and prior experiences, scents might circulate up new ways to learn and remember. Becoming more alive to scents will also add texture, depth, and generousness to our everyday experiences, if we can find ways to incorporate them that move beyond air fresheners and analogs of inbred scents. (WISTEN, 2010)Also, a scent can be used to tag objects and places and accordingly build associations and habits. According to Wisten (2010) it would therefore enable customer retention on a brand new level. (Black, 2010)The sense of touchUnfortunately the importance of the sense of touch is often underestimated in tourism. When exploring their surrounding, people like to look, taste, hear and smell but they also explore by touching the materials and even enjoy touching pleasant materials. A wooly blanket in a Hotel room or comfortable chairs in a restaurant are factors that also determine a nice atmosphere. As mentioned above, the choice of materials is also important not only to the eye but even more so to the sense of touch. (-ller, 2009)The attainment of colors contort. A attribute of light or of surfaces or object that is perceptible to human vision and that is described by various color names, such as red or racy. (Pile, 1997)Colors stimulate all our sen ses they are linked to our subconscious knowledge and memories and therefore create certain associations (Stadler, 2010).People try to flee the routine, to relax from the daily stress and to regenerate, but to be able to do so the atmosphere as to be right. Using colors, designers can stimulate the senses and therefore create moods or create different and completely new atmosphere (Stadler, 2010) It doesnt necessarily mean that everything has to be as colorful as it gets, but putting the right contrasts or accents and harmonizing design elements already does the trick. In other words extreme unity of colors leads to under-stimulation whereas extreme complexity leads to over-stimulation. Harmony is a dynamic equilibrium. (Morton, 2008)Understanding the science of colors is important to be able to create moods and emotions and direct guests to consume with pleasure. The world is too colorful to leave a wall blank and white, on the other hand loud colors arent the optimum either and ca n lead to unwelcomed side effects (Stadler, 2010). The use of colors belongs to one of the most fundamental possibilities to influence our surrounding and our wellbeing.Classification of colorsThere are three so called elementary or base colors Red, Blue and color (Figure 1). In traditional color theory, these are the 3 pigment colors that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 interpenetrates. There are secondary colors that are created through mixing two of the primary colors with each other Green, Violet, Orange (Figure 2). Blue and Yellow make Green, Blue and Red make Violet and Red and Yellow result in Orange. There are also tertiary colors that are formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color. Thats why the hue is a two-word name, such as blue-green, red-violet, and yellow-orange as seen in Figure 3. (Morton, 2008)Figure 1 Primary Colors Blue, Red and YellowFigure 2 secondary Colors Green, Orange and Vio lettFigure 3 Tertiary Colors Yellow-Orange, Red-Orange, Red-Purple, Blue-Purple, Blue-Green and Yellow-Green.Effect of colorsBefore discussing the impact of specific color hues, there are some more general observations that need to be noted. It is widely accepted to order colors into general families of warm, cool and neutral colors. (Pile, 1997)Warm colors The word warm has another meaning here, in the same sense as we speak of a warm greeting, a warm friendship or a warm atmosphere. The hues on the warm side of the color circle are red, orange and yellow, including all their shades, tints. These warm colors are generally understood to create a cozy, comfortable, homelike and pleasant atmosphere (Pile, 1997). Experiments also have shown that interiors with primarily warm color shemes will appear comfortable to occupants even with the actual air temperature lower than required to achieve comparable comfort in identical spaces using cooler colors.Cool colors Every shade and tint of t he green-blue-violet side of the color circle fall under this term. They are related with calm, relaxing and more contemplative experiences. Cool colors tend to lower the sense of actual air temperature and therefore are often preferred in spaces where excessive heat (climatic or artificial) can be anticipated. At an extreme, cool colors whitethorn have a negative and depressive psychological impact (Pile, 1997).Neutral colors White, Black and Gray fall between warm and cool, having less intense psychological impact and therefore in its extreme form may have a bland or boring effect. In its positive uses, neutral colors may propose businesslike, practical and utilitarian atmospheres with a minimum of emotional content (Pile, 1997).According to Molton (2008) colors have the power of conveying a mood or message. It can make or break how people perceive a business or a product. As evidence, consider the $23 zillion in sales made by Heinzs green ketchup. In the following abstract the effects of individual colors will be identified.BlueMolton (2008) claims that blue color can work as appetite suppressant. Blue colored food is not a common occurrence in nature. There are no such things as blue salad, blue meat and besides blueberries, the color blue just doesnt exist a significant quantity of natural food color. Looking at Figure 4 one will admit that this dish with blue colored rice looks everything but tasty.Figure 4 Blue Rice, Cherry Tomatoes and Pork (http//i67.photobucket.com/albums/h289/cyberpete/Cooking/PICT0254.jpg)Spaces appear bigger in size and seem chilly and clean. In Interior Design one should use the color blue only in spaces to relax, for example in the Wellness area of a Hotel, where red would have the opposite effect.RedRed is claimed to be a dynamic and aggressive color. It stimulates psychologically and physically, enhances labor and movement and even encourages dancing. Not only venues with a dance floor make successful use of this color but a lso restaurants use red in dining environments, since the right shade of red can work as an appetizer (Mahnke, 1996). It activates metabolism and blood circulation of the body as it signifies pure energy. However it can also appear overwhelming and result in irritated guests (Morton, Color Matters, 2008).YellowYellow brings the sunshine in. The color has the effect of lightning up bad mood and puts a room into a sunny and positive atmosphere. Spaces even appear bigger and more vital. It enhances concentration and stimulates the mind towards a positive attitude even in combination with darker colors. It is commonly used in Cafs and Bars since yellow inspires discourse and communication. In gastronomy it can be used to keep guests longer and therefore make them willing to consume more (Mahnke, 1996).GreenGreen has a tranquillise effect on people it gives a feeling of balance tranquility, and security. The color is often used in conference rooms in Hotels (Pile, 1997) as it stands f or creativity and willingness to learn new things. A green room appears vital and has a regenerating effect on the human organism. The color seems friendly and relaxing. Green is incomplete a cold nor a warm color, often it is understood as a neutral pole between the two.OrangeOrange can create a cheerful warm and comfortable atmosphere. It is known as the friendly and social color in Interior Design (Pile, 1997) that also has the ability to enhance appetite (Mahnke, 1996).BrownBrown as used in interior decorating has the effect of giving a rustical and comfortable atmosphere.White, Black and colorWhite, Black and Grey belong to the so-called non-colors. They are perfect combined with other colors. However if too much black, white or grey is used in interior decoration it can give a feeling of heaviness and darkness. These colors make better use as neutralizers or contrasts to other colors (Pile, 1997).Color in RestaurantsAccording to John Pile (1997), Restaurants call for a part icularly sensitive use of color. An inappropriate color scheme might be the travail for a restaurant to fail even if it might have been successful otherwise. As mentioned in the previous abstract, appetite is very strongly affected by light and color. The sight of a blue cake wouldnt make your mouth water as much as it did when it was chocolate-brown. The experience of eating can be made more pleasant or less so, through the choice of color in surroundings.Experience suggests that certain colors are best avoided wholly these include black, darker or cold grays, strong tones of violet and yellow-greens. (Pile, 1997).Pile further states that the color red is believed to be stimulating to the appetite and other warm tones tend to generate a comfortable atmosphere but should be used with moderation along with stronger accent colors. To conceal spots and soiling in a restaurant establishment, it is usual to choose certain colors, materials and patterns, however the color of such areas as tabletops, linens, dishes glassware and menus, that take in most of the diners field of vision of the restaurant, should be considered along with the colors of the rest of the interior space (Pile, 1997).In his book Color in Interior Design, John Pile claims that even the style of food should have an effect in color choice. He states that in fast-food outlets, cafeterias and other restaurants where a rapid pace of service is anticipated, the choice of bright colors and strong contrasts have the best effect. Restaurants with more traditional style, perhaps serving better cuisine at a more leisurely pace and probably even at higher prices, are better served by softer, warmer tones seen under a lower level of lighting. The use of natural wood tones, metallic elements, and mirrors are traditional elements in bar areas.Dining rooms of traditional clubs are commonly developed in tones of brown and tan suggesting a masculine atmosphere while lighter tones of cream, beige and yellow rela te to a more varied clientele. (Pile, 1997). There are certain types of restaurants, such as Seafood restaurants, that have developed a tradition in style and setting, using natural wood for tabletops and floors along with areas of off white, tan or brown in other elements. The color Blue is a favored accent color, as it supposedly is associated with the sea, but it should definitely not be used in excess as to avoid a cold and unappetizing effect. Various national cuisine style restaurants can also be emphasized through use of color, such as white and red in Austrian or red green and white in Italian restaurants, but such associations are not essential and always threaten to turn to clich when they are overdone.Customer Satisfaction QuestionnairesImportance of customer satisfactionCustomer satisfaction depends on a product sensed performance in delivering value relative to a buyers expectations (Philip Kotler, 2006). The buyer will be satisfied, according to whether or not the pro ducts performance meets the expectations. Expectations are based on experiences, opinions of friends and market information and promises.New BaroqueIntroduction of New BaroqueVenues of this category feature exuberant lightning, decadence and pattern. Many restaurants take their cues from this approach, yet are rather more contemporary with just the odd extravagant flourish. (Ryder, 2007)The restaurant chosen to represent this category in this study is the Cospaia in Brussels, Belgium.Figure 5 Restaurant COSPAIA, Brussels, BelgiumDesign Concept of CospaiaThe concept is unique and mysterious. For Cospaia Jan Tindemans united a passionate designer and an exclusive location. The myth starts immediately with the location of Cospaia on the boulevard de la Toison dOr. Many habitants and visitors of Brussels will surely remember some of the famous eateries that used to occupy this location. The entire neighborhood breathes luxury and coziness. Exclusive boutiques and first class hotels in t he immediate vicinity, the Brussels Financial heart, the Embassies and the European quarter all within walking distance.It is a dream location for a new style restaurant with international ambition. Cospaia will easily fit in that exclusive list of addresses next to Caf Costes in Paris, Bank in London, Vau in Berlin and humanistic discipline in Barcelona.Marcel Wolterinck, an internationally recognized designer has created the interior design. (http//www.cospaia.be)5.3. Presentation of Results from Questionnaires orbicular ViewsIntroduction of Global ViewsVarious aspects of other cultures and countries inspire the designs of restaurants of in category. Asia is continue to lead the way as major influence in restaurant design in cities of the western world, whether or not it reflects the cuisine on offer. (Ryder, 2007) Representing the chapter Global Views in this study will the Megu Midtown in New York City, USA.Figure 6 Restaurant MEGU, New York City, USADesign Concept of MeguDesi gned and created by Yasumichi Morita and his Japenese based team Glamorous. For the first, Megu owner Mr Koji Imai asked Morita to introduce real Japanese beauty to New Yorkers. (Ryder, 2007)The design team Glamourous chose to blend traditional and modern Japanese times. true and avant-garde Japanese ingredients are combined to suit every palate. The overall dcor is filled with customary Japanese interior accents, complimented with a contemporary ambiance.The rich fabrics, the highest-grade wood materials, and the artistic integrity were upheld in the construction of MEGU Midtown. To express the rich design of Megu, they made the design rise vertically. Almost everything about the design in the main dining room points from the ceiling to the floor. The lamp pillars, the family crests that cascade from top to bottom, and the 27-foot long hand drawn mural of tigers. When the guests arrive, they walk up the stairs to the mezzanine and then descend to the main dining room when their r eservation is ready. In the waiting bar there is illuminated photographic art conveying the heart of Japan, on 7-foot Kimono fabric pedestals. The visual delights at MEGU Midtown in terms of design are, the lamp pillars, the family crest emblems, the open sushi and Teppan-yaki kitchens, and the 500 pound Crystal Chandelier. Using the high ceilings and the wall-to-wall windows they have created another distinct and wonderful space. (www.megurestaurants.com/philosophy)6.3. Presentation of Results from QuestionnairesModern ClassicIntroduction Modern ClassicSimple dining spaces that often feature classic designs from the twentieth vitamin C belong to this category. The interiors dont rely on any design tricks, themes or grand gestures. Instead the designers rely on the beauty of natural materials such as stain and stone for adornment. (Ryder, 2007) the example of this category presented in this study is The Modern in New York City, USA.Figure 7 Restaurant THE MODERN, New York City, USADesign concept of The ModernInspired by the Bauhaus movement, The Modern was created by architects Bentel Bentel. The design plays a major role in every aspect of the dining experience at the Modern. Open, elegant and filled with light, the Dining Room offers views of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden. Both the Dining Room and Bar Room are adorned with furniture and tableware from modernist greats, with a centering on Danish design. (http//www.themodernnyc.com)6.3. Presentation of Results from QuestionnairesResearch DesignResearch DesignThe type of research design is very important for the whole study and is a major factor for the significance of the results. In the case of this study a quantitative research design was chosen.Ryder (2007) defines restaurant design styles thematic categories Global Views, New Baroque, Modern Classic and High Concept. In this study three categories were chosen as examples Global Views, New Baroque and Modern Classic. Then one restaura nt out of each of these categories was elected to represent the category. While preparing the questionnaires some recommendations were kept in mind. The length of the survey played an important role. The survey was designed online in English language only. It was kept in mind to keep the survey answer possibilities brief and simple. Three different pictures of different restaurant were implemented in the survey. This was done using the website http//www.onlineumfragen.com. Questions about the overall design and atmosphere relating to each picture of the three restaurants were created (Bitner, Evaluating Service Encounters The Effects of Physical Surroundings and Employee Responses, 1990) (Kisang, 2005) and (Wakefield Blodgett, 1999). After terminate the general questions about each individual restaurant, the participants were asked to choose one establishment to plan a special event at (eg. their birthday party). The population was specify using the social network website http//w ww.facebook.com. A group was created and 1427 people invited to join. After one week of data collection (April 22nd April 29th 2010) the survey went offline and the analysis began. By then there were 201 samples in the study.Besides the Personal Data Information and the question where respondents are asked to choose one of the three restaurants for a special event, there are solely rating scales in the survey. All respondents completed the questionnaires through the website only. After some adjustments and the preparation of the data collected, the Data then was exported into the plan SPSS, ready for further analysis. The complete questionnaire can be found in the Appendices.Data analysisDemographicsAfter one week of data collection a proud sample of 201 respondents was achieved. This abstract will give an introduction to the population of the study. 126 of the respondents in the survey are female, that leaves 75 male respondents (Figure 1Gender). Figure 2 Age shows that 14 respon dents were younger than 20 years old. The majority of respondents (98 respondents) are between 21 and 24 years old. 69 respondents are 25-29 years of age and 20 respondents are older than 30 years.Figure 8 GenderFigure 9 AgeThere are 121 respondents still at University and 70 respondents who already have graduated from University. 9 participants have a High school Diploma and 1 completed an Apprenticeship (Figure 6Education).115 Students took part in the survey. The remaining respondents are White-collar workers (2