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The 8 Best Seating Layouts For Successful Restaurants.

Understanding 8 seating principles can transform restaurant design by aligning with human behaviour.

The Subtle Influence of Scent: How Cleaning Aromas Make Us Tidier The environments we inhabit influence us in surprising and often subconscious ways, shaping how we think, feel, and act. One particularly intriguing example is the impact of scent on behaviour. Research reveals that a subtle aroma of cleaning liquid in the air can inspire tidier and more conscientious actions, even when people are unaware of the scent’s influence. This phenomenon highlights the nonconscious power of olfactory cues to affect our cognition and habits, offering fascinating insights into how sensory elements in our surroundings can encourage positive behaviours and enhance the spaces we share.  The Aroma of Cleaning Liquid Makes People Behave Tidier A subtle yet powerful effect occurs when the aroma of cleaning liquid lingers in the air: people unconsciously behave in a cleaner and tidier manner. This fascinating behavioural shift is supported by research from Rob W. Holland, Merel Hendriks, and Henk Aarts, who explored the unconscious influence of scent on human cognition and behaviour.  In their groundbreaking studies, the researchers examined how exposure to citrus-scented cleaning products affected participants' thoughts and actions without their conscious awareness. The first two studies revealed that participants who were unobtrusively exposed to the scent of all-purpose cleaner demonstrated heightened mental accessibility to the concept of cleaning. This was evidenced by their quicker recognition of cleaning-related words and a higher likelihood of listing cleaning-related activities when asked to describe their expected behaviours for the day.  The third study took the research a step further, showing that exposure to the scent caused participants to physically act in a tidier manner. During an eating task, those in a room with the faint aroma of cleaning liquid kept their immediate environment significantly cleaner than those in a neutral-scented room. Awareness checks confirmed that participants were unaware of the scent's influence on their behaviour, highlighting the powerful and nonconscious impact of olfactory cues.  As Dr. Rob W. Holland, a lead researcher on the subject, explains, "Our studies show that subtle olfactory cues, like the scent of a cleaning product, can nonconsciously influence behaviours and thought processes, encouraging actions aligned with the aroma’s associations, such as cleanliness and order." This finding underscores the remarkable ability of scent to shape our thoughts and actions in subtle, unconscious ways.  Implications for Space Design These studies highlight the potential for integrating olfactory cues into space design to promote desired behaviours. Whether in homes, workplaces, or public environments, the strategic use of scent could subtly encourage cleaner and more organised actions. By using pleasant, subtle aromas like citrus-based cleaning products, spaces can be designed not only to appear clean but also to inspire occupants to maintain that cleanliness unconsciously.  As the researchers concluded, "The present studies reveal the nonconscious influence that olfactory cues can have on thinking and doing." This insight opens up exciting possibilities for enhancing environments through thoughtful sensory design. By leveraging the subtle power of scent, we can create spaces that not only function well but also encourage positive behavioural patterns in those who inhabit them.
 

The design of a restaurant goes far beyond aesthetics; it is a delicate balance of understanding human behaviour, psychology, and spatial dynamics. The way people interact with spaces, from seating preferences to their subconscious need for connection, significantly influences the success of any hospitality venue.


Drawing inspiration from William H. Whyte’s studies on public spaces and decades of design experience, we’ve identified eight key seating principles that cater to innate human behaviours. These insights not only enhance customer experience but also create environments that naturally draw people in, fostering comfort, socialisation, and engagement.



"Restaurants are busy…because they are busy"


William H. Whyte’s pioneering work in the 1980s, The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, provided deep insights into human behaviour within public spaces. Whyte observed that what attracted people most was other people. It wasn’t the size of a space, its beauty, the presence of waterfalls, or even the amount of sun that mattered most. Instead, the availability of places to sit, a sense of connection to the street, and the mystical circularity of spaces already being well-frequented were key. In short, parks had people because they had people. Whyte identified that the simple ability to sit, enjoy the street, and watch others became the foundation of successful public space design.


While these patterns of behaviour aren’t universal, they hold true for most people. As a result, designing spaces with the majority’s behaviour in mind can resolve the core challenges of design far more efficiently.


Over the past 30 years, our work in hospitality design has revealed remarkable consistencies in how people behave within Western or Western-influenced cultures, particularly around seating, spacing, and arrangements. We refer to this process as "Designing for Human Behaviour" & "Envirohacking", focusing on how people naturally behave rather than simply the "why" behind these actions.


From these observations, we’ve identified and distilled 8 predictive behavioural biases that restaurateurs can leverage to create successful layouts. These principles take into account the fundamental ways people interact with restaurant spaces. Here’s the full list of these behavioural principles:


Huddling

For the most part, people like busy restaurants because restaurants are social spaces, and people are social beings. Restaurants are thus busy because they are busy, as alluded to above. People will always choose the busiest restaurant, given the choice, if there are two neighbouring restaurants of a similar category (see also, Our Predictable Behaviours). To this end, finding a suitable layout that puts your guests on display is more important than putting your food on display.

Isometric sketch of a cafe layout with tables, chairs, and booths. Features a simple color scheme and an adjacent outdoor area.
Architectural sketch of a cozy restaurant interior featuring intimate seating areas, a central huddle of tables, and a private dining room, designed to encourage social interaction.

Framing

When you walk into a restaurant, where do you usually head first? If your answer is "the outer edges," you're not alone! In fact, our observations show that most people tend to frame a space by occupying the outer edges of a restaurant before they move towards the centre.


But that's not all, people also have a tendency to gravitate towards the corners first before they fill out the rest of the edges. Why does this happen? It could be due to our natural instinct to seek a sense of security and comfort by having a protective wall or corner behind our back, from where we can have a physical advantage in our ability to see the rest of the restaurant and most of the people.


This framing behaviour can reach 50% to 70%, layout dependent, before people start moving towards the core. We have also noticed that people prefer tables with at least one side anchored, either against a wall or any other prominent structure. This is especially true for two-seater tables.

Isometric sketch of a cafe layout with tables and chairs, red line indicating movement path, light brown tones, tree visible outside.
Architectural sketch of a restaurant layout illustrating seating arrangements and dining zones, highlighted with red framing to outline key areas within the interior design.

The Lookout

Seating with views attracts people even if comfort and position are compromised.


For instance, a good view from an external table, even in colder weather, is often favoured over more comfortable internal temperature-controlled seating without a view. Additionally, seating internally in a cramped space with a view will most often be favoured over more comfortable seating without a view. People book and tend to migrate towards the best view first. They also tend to extend their stay in areas with views.

Isometric sketch of a room with tables, chairs, and a bar area. A section is highlighted in red. Neutral tones, modern design.
Sketch design of "The Look Out" restaurant interior, featuring versatile seating arrangements, a strategically highlighted window niche, and a cozy private dining area.

Perching

Compromised areas, for example, those at the deepest ends of restaurants, can often be resolved by raising them significantly over the rest of the spaces, as people naturally and instinctively prefer elevated areas. This is a term we like to call "perching," and it's a natural instinct to seek out higher ground. This is equally true for compromised spaces inside and outside of restaurants. Raised areas along the perimeter or backing up against walls are most effective.


To make perching even more effective, it's important to consider the height of the elevated area. For example, two steps up are favoured over one, as people tend to notice the sequence of two steps, whereas they notice a single step less and tend to trip over it. Additionally, two steps make it a more conscious, deliberate, and intentional choice, whereas a single step may go unnoticed.

Isometric drawing of a café layout with tables, chairs, and counters. Red lines highlight seating areas. A tree is outside the window.
Floor plan sketch of a modern restaurant interior, showcasing a versatile seating arrangement with perching tables, a bar area, and a cozy dining section underlined by sleek, contemporary design elements.

The Sunflower

People are naturally drawn to the sun or natural light, even if these areas are not exposed to a view. This is true for both larger and smaller groups and attracts people even if the seating type is slightly compromised. Getting natural light into a space, even if it is through a service alley, can be highly beneficial.

Brown line drawing of cafe layout, tables, and seating. A section is highlighted in red. Minimalist style with detailed interior layout.
Conceptual sketch of "The Sunflower" restaurant interior, showcasing a versatile seating arrangement with dining tables, bar stools, and a private section.

Burrowing

There are those who seek privacy for very specific reasons. It may be a romantic date, a private function, a meeting, or a well-known person who needs privacy.


These areas typically need to be completely isolated, with no view into the space from the restaurant. Extreme negative spaces can be solved by creating these burrows in the leftover nooks and crannies of the restaurant.

Floor plan sketch of a cafe layout. Tables and chairs in rows, one area highlighted in red. Minimalist design with brown lines.
Architectural sketch of a restaurant interior named "Burrow," showcasing a cozy layout with multiple seating arrangements including an intimate corner section highlighted in red.

Cocooning

People also migrate to in-between spaces that offer some measure of protection.


This could be in the form of higher-backed bench seats, a planter wall, or a feature wall. Typically, these areas need to be high enough to offer some psychological cocooning or sheltering but low enough to provide a clear view into the rest of the restaurant space.

Isometric sketch of a restaurant layout with red-highlighted booth seating, tables, and chairs. Neutral tones and minimal decor.
Architectural sketch of a restaurant interior showcasing a cocooning design with intimate seating areas highlighted in red, promoting a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

People Gazing

People love to sit facing a street or pedestrians, even if the view beyond this is not great. Thus, even single lines of seating in an alley with high foot traffic are very popular, as are sets of tables in a noisy intersection.


This crowded, noisier space is also where single people often prefer to sit. The very act of eating with a knife and fork does not easily permit distractions like cell phones, and thus people gazing becomes a more significant interaction.

Isometric sketch of a restaurant with tables, chairs, and booths. Brown lines define the layout. Highlighted area in red indicates terrace.
Architectural sketch of a restaurant interior design, featuring various seating arrangements and open dining spaces where patrons can enjoy a welcoming atmosphere.

The interplay between space, behaviour, and design is critical in hospitality. By understanding and applying these eight seating principles, restaurateurs can create layouts that naturally align with human preferences, increasing customer satisfaction and boosting profitability. As Whyte aptly noted,

"What attracts people most are other people," 

and these principles ensure that your restaurant spaces facilitate these innate social behaviours.


Designing for human behaviour isn’t about reinventing the wheel, it’s about recognising patterns and leveraging them to create meaningful, effective spaces. By crafting seating arrangements that meet guests’ subconscious preferences, restaurateurs can set the stage for success, turning any space into a thriving social hub.


 

Information Reference Index:


The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces.

The Psychology of Restaurant Seating and Layout.

Environmental Psychology for Design.

The Restaurant Manager’s Handbook.

Designing for Human Behavior.



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