Restaurant Concepts That Work Well In A Small Space

Posted on: 26 January 2023

If you are considering opening a restaurant in a small space, it is important to put a lot of thought into the restaurant's overall concept. Some concepts, such as family dining and even typical fine dining, don't work very well in smaller buildings. On the other hand, there is no need to go with the standard fast-casual setup if that's not what you're leaning towards. Here are some fun and enticing restaurant concepts that work well in a small space.

Custom Sandwich Shop

One option is to create a sandwich shop — but with a twist. You can have a counter at the back of the restaurant and a few employees working behind that counter. Various sandwich fillings will be laid out, deli-style, and people can order their sandwiches to be custom-made in front of them. Some of the large chain sub-shops work this way. However, you can set your sandwich shop apart from the more standard-issue sub-shops by offering unique fillings. Think cured meats, marinated vegetables, and a good assortment of spreads. Up front, you'll want a couple of tables for guests to sit at, but many will take their sandwiches to-go.

Single-Item Concept

Another option is to open a restaurant that only serves one item. For example, maybe you make incredible cheesesteaks, and your menu only features cheesesteaks done two or three different ways. This approach works well in restaurants where the kitchen itself is really tiny. You'll have fewer ingredients, and you won't need as many cooks back there, either. When you only make a single item, you can spend lots of time mastering it and making it truly incredible. If your food is that awesome, customers won't care that your restaurant is a bit small.

Reserve-Ahead, Pre-Fixe Restaurant

Another completely different approach would be a reserve-ahead restaurant where you only take reservations, and you only make a few reservations each night. Every night, the chef can cook something different. But it is always a pre-fixe menu, so every diner is served the same thing. This approach tends to attract a lot of foodies and people on dates. If your chef has been wanting to try new things or think creatively, this certainly gives them that chance. The approach ensures you never have to serve more people than will fit — or prepare more food than will fit.

Don't let your restaurant's size get you down! There are plenty of fun restaurant concepts that work in smaller spaces. For more information, contact a company like zprime.

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