Psychology of seating

Ever wondered why eating in certain restaurants make you feel better than in others? Simple answer: the chairs! A restaurant in principle, targets a certain market or group of people before even going into business. It is the simple business of what service they are selling.

In fast food restaurants, it’s common for stiff, stale, and mostly uncomfortable chairs and tables that  feel cold to the touch. On the opposite end, there are restaurants with thick cushions and pillows that welcomes you. Each of the venues is appealing to different crowds. With a business with a fast turnover such as fast food restaurants or noodle stalls, it is important that their customers do not get too comfortable and linger on for too long. It is important “seat time” that could be used for another customer, “quick in quick out” and the chair is the one doing the trick!

However, it’s not only about the comfort-ability factor of the seat ,  there are times where the seat is correct but its  design is wrong and that  can jeopardise the restaurant’s ambiance and feel good factor.

It was not long ago that I came across the same problem!

I was to specify a bar stool for a high-end restaurant that we, Fenn Designers are working on and to chose what I thought would fit best. It was not until we had a mock up done that we could truly work out all the wrinkles and  make sure it will work well for the customers.

Mock ups, mock UPS, MOCK UPS!  Life saving task, the material that was used for the seat was not very elastic and formed a SLIDE! Any one sitting on the stool was very quickly on their way down!

Anyone for Dinner on the Slides?? 

Leave A Comment