Close

White Paper by Roar reveals the future of restaurant design post Covid-19

The research reveals what we may expect of the future of dining

A White Paper by Roar reveals results on the future of restaurant design and dining in a post Covid world.

According to the report, restaurant designers will abandon social distancing and return to pre-pandemic spacing – but not until 2021.

A survey of 170 industrial professionals revealed that only a quarter (26%) think a return to normal spacing will happen before the end of this year. Most (64%) expect that to happen next year, while a small minority (5%) say the restaurant trade will never return to normal.

White Paper by Roar

“Safe spacing will be the most dramatic impact on restaurants – but according to our experts, one that is likely to be short-lived,” says Pallavi Dean, founder and creative director of Roar, the company that compiled the White Paper.

The White Paper noted that the guidelines in the IBC (International Building Codes) for F&B specify an average 15 sq ft per seated diner, and 5 sq ft for customers standing in so-called ‘vertical drinking’. Current World Health Organisation guidelines call for 27 sq ft per diner in F&B outlets.

‘Layout & spacing’ was the first of the Big 3 issues highlighted in the White Paper. The next two were ‘contactless’ and ‘buffet/sharing food concepts’.

“Very few people expect dining to be fully contactless. far more likely is what we’re calling ‘contact-light’,” Dean explained.

White Paper by Roar

According to the White Paper, the contactless trend will have multiple impacts –some relating to objects while others to people. Physical menus may become rare, if not extinct. The same may be true of communal salt & pepper shakers, and the grubby three-week-old bottle of ketchup in the middle of the table. Sharing mezze with close family members will likely endure – but sharing platters at a large corporate functions may not.

The prosaic, administrative and functional aspects of the restaurant experience must also be reimagined, says the White Paper. Restrooms in particularly must be completely re-planned, with every unnecessary touchpoint removed: doors, soap, water and drying etc.

However, people are a different matter. “Since the dawn of restaurants, a charismatic maitre d’, waiter, chef, barman or patron has been the lifeblood of a good restaurant – nowhere more than in the Middle East, where I grew up,“  Dean said.

The White Paper concluded that this physical familiarity will ultimately endure, though maybe not before a vaccine for COVID-19.

You can read the full White Paper here. 

 

The Latest

An Ethereal Stay

A bespoke, cultural and spiritual adventure awaits in the remote, magical Kingdom of Mustang with the all-inclusive Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection hotel

Celebrating artistry, heritage, and community

Casamia & Mustard & Linen host a cultural exchange celebrating Emirati Women’s Day

Skyline Serenity

A family home in Almaty, Kazakhstan blends modern architecture, bespoke craftsmanship and global design icons

Trend Group supplies to the Red Sea’s most prestigious projects

Mohamad Chehab, the general manager of Trend Group Middle East talks about the group's involvement in the Red Sea Projects

A New Chapter in Surfaces

APE Grupo brings Spanish expertise to the Middle East with a flagship showroom designed for visionaries

The Art of Distinction

Influenced by Art Deco design, Supreme by TREDEX now features a striking Matt Bourbon finish

Read ‘The Luxury Issue’ – Note from the editor

Our cover features Gaggenau, a brand that embodies design for the truly discerning.

Sarita Handa and Kristina Zanic Consultants Unveil DEEBAJ

Sarita Handa and Kristina Zanic Consultants announce the launch of DEEBAJ, a special-edition textile collection that reinterprets the rich cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia through the artistry of Indian craftsmanship.

Design Take: GABA

Inspired by the philosophy of GABA tea, fermented without air or light, Studio Meshary AlNassar translated this concept into an interior that is hidden, intimate, and layered with sensory detail.

Geared for Growth

ClayArk opens an expanded showroom showcasing their expansion into sanitary ware

Holiday Vibes at Home

California sunshine and French country charm meet in this 510-square metre house with a dream pool cabana and peaceful garden

Things to Covet

Nature-inspired meets future-ready for these sustainable pieces