Restaurant Color-Codes

It’s common to hear a lot about the challenges that retail workers face during the shopping season, but there’s very little media coverage surrounding the unsung heroes that make up the food service industry. It’s no surprise that restaurants see increased traffic as people refuel before continuing on in their holiday conquests. As staff prepares to step up to meet these seasonal challenges, it’s important to note that the higher volumes also offer a number of chances to receive feedback regarding the dining atmosphere.

In our experience, we’ve seen a noticed a few reoccurring interior tricks that restaurants use to subtly reinforce their desired public image. Believe it or not, certain colors combined with types of restaurants actually help business. Check out some of the popular tactics and see if anything seems familiar during the next restaurant visit.

Health-Focused Restaurants

Almost any restaurant with an emphasis on fresh ingredients or health conscious menu items is going to work the color green into their color scheme in one way or another. An increasingly popular combination includes various shades of green paint combined with wood décor and/or seating to achieve an “earthy” atmosphere. It’s no surprise that these colors remind people of leafs, grass and other colors that denote freshness. The inclusion of various greens can be particularly attractive this time of year as most people in Indiana apprehensively look outside only to see bare trees and snow-covered cars.

Appetite for Consumption

The use of various red paint colors is popular with many restaurants, but it’s crucial for business owners to select the tones that are sending the right messages. Deep, rich reds are generally great selections for Italian restaurants and steakhouses. The warm tones serve as cozy and refreshing breaks from the cold, potentially encouraging diners to stay a little longer and have some wine or dessert. Brighter reds are commonly used by fast food restaurants, used to grab attention and attract impulse-stops to increase business.

Sweet Treats

Bakeries and other restaurants featuring sugary items can benefit from brighter colors; particularly yellows and oranges. As I’ve pointed out before, these colors help to boost the mood and can also subconsciously help people feel less guilty about indulging a bit.