Reading the Room
First impressions are everything. A warm smile, a friendly hello, comfortable atmosphere, soothing music, and everything in between. Those first impressions are what begin the journey and experience for the guest walking into the restaurant and it’s important that the vision that you’re creating for the guest also fits into your vision as an owner, manager, and employee.
I like to call this process Reading the Room. When you walk into a room, the first thing that you should be doing on a perception level is “reading it” – that means you analyze what’s going on in the space. What is the energy of the space? What are the emotions of the people in the space? What type of place is this? What do people generally do when they come here? For example, if you walk into a library and read the room, your assumption should be that people are quiet, reading, studying, and are partaking in some form of introspection. People aren’t going to be yelling, playing loud music, or playing football across the bookshelves. This reading of the room is one of the most important steps for both guest and those running the show for the restaurant as well.
Let’s start with the basics – the intro to this book. What does the space look like, what do you want it to look like, what types of activities do you want your guests to engage in here, and what does the ideal night look like for you and your guests? If you want to own, manage or qork in a quiet, speakeasy-styled lounge – then you aren’t going to add a dance floor with neon lights and a DJ in the corner blasting dubstep. This first step is making sure that the room fits the experience that you’re trying to create. A guest’s first impression is going to be about what the space looks like and it’s important to create that space to fit the vision that you have for it.
The second chapter of this book is pertaining to the energy level of the space and what the guest feels when they walk into the space. Were they greeted with a smile and warm hello or is there a sign that says “seat yourself”? Is the music soft and subtle or is it blasting metal music? Are people singing and dancing or sitting down for a quiet meal? The energy level of the space is just as important as what the space physically looks like and together they create the scene for the experience that the guest will have. Most importantly, the perceived energy level of the space is going to impact how the guest feels about the space. It’s a gut feeling that is instantly created by these subtle clues.
These first two factors of Reading the Room are the most important and 99% of the time they aren’t even perceived by the guest. These are subliminal things that are taken in almost instantaneously the moment anyone enters the space. Your senses immediately lock onto these attributes and begin to tell you what type of occasion that you’re going to have.
The next factor is akin to the more physical aspects of reading the room or - the ambiance. What does the furniture look like? How do people move around in this space? Is the setting more casual or formal? How are other guests interacting in the space? The concept of the physical space is one that begins to develop over time as you begin to spend more time in the space. Once the guest has been seated and gets comfortable – they begin to look around and take everything in. They start to notice the padding on the furniture, the type of curtains on the walls, the way the staff moves from table to table, and the way other guests are enjoying their experiences. By paying attention to these details, the experience for the guest can be catered to the one that you’re trying to create.
Another important part of Reading the Room is the manner in which offerings are being presented and the styles of offerings that are being presented. If you want to run the best cocktail bar, then why is 90% of the menu beer and wine? If you want to have the best burger join in town, then why are the majority of your options salads and soups? It’s immensely important that the offerings that you’re presenting match the vision that you have for the establishment. This helps to curate the guest’s experience in the way that you want it to manifest. Additionally, it’s important to take into account how these offerings are being presented. Is the menu easy to read? Is the staff appropriately trained to highlight significant offerings? Is the food served on the types of plates, bowls, etc. that match the style of restaurant that you’ve created?
I think one other aspect of Reading the Room that most people look over is in regards to the layout of the space. This generally happens before guests and future employees ever enter the space for the first time. The little touches like placing the restroom in an easily accessible location, having outlets next to each table in a coffee shop for laptops, or having enough space between tables and chairs for guests and staff to walk between – these are all incredibly important and can play a huge role in the experience for a guest. Navigation of the space itself is one that takes a lot of foresight and planning, but in the end can be a huge benefit.
By taking all of these different “chapters” of Reading the Room into account, one can create an amazing guest experience and potentially even lay the groundwork for that experience – all before the guest even walks into the establishment for the first time. Reading the Room is essential in creating those memories for guests and great work environments for employees.
