When it comes to an effective renovation project, the colour scheme is one of the most important things to consider. This is especially true for restaurant fitouts where the choice of colours directly impacts the customers. Colour is not only seen by the naked eye but is also perceived by our thoughts and emotions. Choosing the right colours for your establishment can help enhance the dining experience, uplift the mood of your customers, and increase overall turnover.
In this article, we’ll be discussing how to choose the right colours for your restaurant fitout to help maximise your newfound investment.
Colours that affect human behaviour
Great shopfitters know that colours and emotions are closely linked. This connection is rooted in psychology where different colours affect people’s thoughts and feelings. The way colours affect human behaviour varies based on their shade, tint, and tone. Let’s take a look at the most popular colours used in restaurant fitouts and how they can affect your customers.
Red
The colour red exudes energy, which in turn can increase a person’s appetite. One reason why most fast-food restaurants use the colour red to facilitate table turnovers. This is because the colour red emphasises a sense of urgency, thus encouraging the diners to finish their meals quickly.
Thanks to the passion and excitement associated with this colour, red are most suited for fast-serving eateries where food is prepared quickly.
Orange
Orange is a happy colour that surrounds your customers with a happy, joyful feeling. Part of that is because the colour orange calls to mind warming and enthusiastic emotions. You’ll often see ice cream bars, fast-food joints, and other similar establishments use the colour orange to make people feel good about indulging in their cravings.
Yellow
Yellow appears exciting to the eye and has quite a similar effect to customers just like the colour red does. Using yellow in your restaurant fitout can potentially make your diners feel happy and optimistic.
Some examples of establishments that will benefit from using a yellow colour scheme are ethnic restaurants, cafes, bistros, and fast-casual restaurants where the overall dining experience is linked to cheerfulness and excitement.
Green
The colour green is where things tend to dial down a bit as it’s a soothing colour to the naked eye. Because of this, green exhibits comfort and relaxation, two things that complement coffee shops and salad bars quite well.
Green is also associated with nature’s tranquil and harmonic properties, making it suitable for healthy food providers like vegetarian and vegan restaurants.
Brown
Brown provides a feeling of ruggedness and stability. Being an earthy colour, brown evokes a sensation of comfort similar to the colour green. Bars, bistros, and coffee shops are some of the best examples of food establishments that will benefit most from using a brown colour scheme.
White
White is associated with purity and cleanliness, thus calling to mind feelings of leisure and relaxation. The colour white also enhances the visual space of a specific area, making it appear larger to the human eye. Upscale eateries, wedding reception venues, and small-area restaurants are the perfect candidates for a white colour scheme in their fitouts.
Blue
Blue is the colour of the sky and the ocean which reflects peace, masculinity, and reliability. This colour is the opposite of red which makes customers feel satiated but thirsty. While blue may not be an ideal choice for restaurants, they make perfect sense in breweries, pubs, and bars where drinks are mainly served to guests.
Black
Black is often used as an accent colour instead of a highlight feature since it can feel too overpowering. This colour represents authority and power, both of which are crucial elements in classy and contemporary dining scenarios. Just be careful with using too much black or else the restaurant ambience might turn dark and gloomy.
Implementing colours into your menu
While the interior of your restaurant requires your utmost attention, you shouldn’t forget about your menu as well. The menu is where your customers choose their dishes and using the right colours can also affect their selection process. Some of the colours to consider for your menu are:
- Light colour scheme
Light colours make a small place look large and set the mood to a relaxing tone. Light colour schemes are an excellent choice for upscale restaurants and bistros where the menu complements the light-hearted dining experience.
- Dark colour scheme
Creamy rich browns can work wonders in a café setting. The colours work well in a relaxed dining environment which is why you want to use colours like navy green, navy, purple, and brown into your menu (assuming you use the colours in your interior design as well).
- Warm colour scheme
Radiating a vibrant effect, warm colours can be welcoming for a short period. This colour scheme is perfect for fast-food menus where the customers can feel happy and engaged when browsing through their food options. Some of the colours included in this colour scheme are red, yellow, and orange.
- Earthy colour scheme
Food establishments like salad bars and vegan joints will benefit from an earthy-coloured menu as this makes the food choices appear more healthy and delicious. Colours in this colour scheme include brown, green, navy blue, and beige.
- Pastel colour scheme
Pastel colours were a big thing back in the 1980s where bistros, cafes, and all types of restaurants used soft and light colours to attract customers. If your establishment has more of a retro vibe to it, then decorating your menu with pastel colours like sky blue, light pink, pale green, or lavender can really make your food list more attractive to diners.
