Communal tables are not new to the Quick Service Restaurant industry and they are not going anywhere anytime soon. They are a simple and cost effective way for QSR’s to increase revenue, vary seating, and maximize space. Communal tables lend themselves to the relational meal experience customers look for at a QSR restaurant. Here are four reasons why communal tables are successful and here to stay:
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- Make a Design Statement
Communal tables offer the desired seating variety that consumers are looking for in their dine-in restaurant experience. They serve as a place for large parties, party of one, or small groups stopping in for a quick bite to eat. Communal tables replace what used to be a sea of small tables pushed together to accommodate different party sizes, all while adding height and comfort to the dining area.
- Incorporate Technology
The ability to integrate multiple power outlets to charge laptops and smart phones has resurrected the idea and use of communal tables. What once was an awkward seating arrangement that left customers sitting next to a stranger now becomes a place where customers happily park themselves next to strangers for hours while they finish up their work. Communal tables give restaurant goers the choice of either engaging with others at the table or to create their own personal space with their technology. One important note to remember when incorporating technology and communal tables: leave space for both food and gadgets – Mac Books and Macchiato do not mesh well.
- Millennials Like Them
The current millennial dining trend is to find a restaurant that allows them to socialize, graze, and linger at their leisure (credit Darren Tristano). Communal tables fulfill this trend by providing a seating arrangement where strangers have the opportunity to eat, talk, and laugh with strangers during their meal in a setting where they would normally sit alone. This gives millennials the different restaurant experience they are looking for by creating a sense of community rather than the typical party of one experience.
- Provides Seating Flexibility
The amount of time spent at a restaurant is a determining factor in the success of communal tables. Do people stop in on their way to work for a quick cup of coffee or do customers stick around for hours finishing up their work? Communal tables have the ability to fit more people into a smaller space – allowing restaurants and dining areas to serve more customers at a time. Moving party of ones to a communal table frees up smaller tables for larger parities to utilize as party of ones come and go at their own pace.
Quick Service Restaurants are known to foster interaction and communal tables help them do just that. The design statement incorporates technology and attracts millennials while offering practicality through flexible seating and space maximization. Communal tables are the solution for increased revenue and varied seating queries in QSR design.
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