Do you want to give your restaurant that traditional American diner look? You can create an incredible atmosphere by recreating the interior of iconic diners like the ones seen in Happy Days, Seinfeld, and Grease. In fact, customers will choose your establishment just to be able to sit in those classic surroundings.
What Kind of Diner do You Want?
If it’s a bright, young, fresh look you’re going for then choose two colors and an accent color to decorate your establishment. The most typical diner color palates are red, black, and white or yellow, black, and white. Adding a jukebox, a checked pattern on the floor, and servers in diner uniforms will also help. You could watch some of the classic movies with diner scenes to get some ideas. If you’re looking for a quieter, warm feel where customers of all ages come to chill, read the newspaper, or chat then opt for subtle colors. Perhaps use a range of brown shades or a palate of blues. It’s probably best to get the help of a professional interior designer but you can also do it yourself.
Creating The Diner Look
So how do you start? Well, of course, the color you paint the walls, and the floorplan add to the diner atmosphere, but the best way to create diner décor in your restaurant is with restaurant furniture that makes a statement. Getting your servers to wear cute diner servers’ uniforms will definitely add to the atmosphere. But nothing beats these popular types of restaurant furniture to turn a sad restaurant into a stunning diner..
Restaurant Booths
One of the most prominent features of a diner is the booths. They can be either fixed on one side of the wall, built into a corner, or you can have free-standing booths as part of your restaurant layout. Think of Seinfeld’s booth in Monk’s Café. The gang sat in a plain vinyl upholstered booth fixed to the wall. Alternatively, you can have a shoulder-height faux wall running down the middle of the restaurant with booths attached on both sides. The iconic color of American diner booths is red. But so long as it is a bright color vinyl upholstery that goes with the rest of the décor, booths will look great in your diner.
Wall Benches (Banquette)
Depending on your layout and the size of your space you could use a long wall bench in your diner-themed restaurant. Run a continuous bench along one wall and place individual tables by the bench. On the other side of the tables, you can have regular chairs.
Counter Seating
Typically, a diner will have a long counter behind which the servers stand. They may prepare simple dishes, make coffee and drinks, or simply run the cash register from the counter. Customers can sit at the counter on counter stools and eat their meals. This is a popular option for customers dining alone. That way they won’t fill up a booth that could hold an entire family. It is also the best option for customers who want a quick cup of coffee and not a full meal. You should choose restaurant counter stools that are the right height to allow customers to eat their meals comfortably. Some diner counter stools have footrests or backrests. Many of them can also swivel. Choosing swivel counter stools is an excellent option if you have limited space in your restaurant.
Free-Standing Tables and Chairs
In addition to the booths and counter seating, diners usually have free-standing tables and restaurant chairs. It’s nice to have a mix-and-match feel so that your customers can choose the type of seating they prefer. The tables should be easy to move. Chairs can be used by the free-standing tables but they can also be used on the other side of tables along a wall bench. Typical diner chairs have metal frames and vinyl upholstered seats and backs. Another popular choice is to have smart wooden restaurant chairs.
Happy Days!
Once you have your diner restaurant furniture all you need to do is provide some jukebox music, and delicious diner food like sloppy joes, French fries, burgers, milkshakes, and sodas.
