Aug 5, 20226 min read

What are the 8 human needs to consider for good restaurant design?

Crafting Memorable Spaces: The Intersection of Design and Human Behaviour

$Restaurants are far more than places to eat, they are social spaces where people gather, connect, and create memories. While great food is essential, it has become a baseline expectation in today’s competitive hospitality landscape. The true differentiator lies in understanding and designing for the intricacies of human behaviour. By addressing subconscious needs, evolutionary instincts, and cultural influences, a restaurant can transform from merely functional to deeply engaging. This article explores eight core behavioural considerations that influence the success of a restaurant, offering insights into how design can enhance guest experiences and foster lasting connections. It goes without saying that successful restaurants have to serve great food. Without it, a restaurant cannot exist. In today's competitive landscape, however, great food has become a passport factor. It is not enough to guarantee success. Great restaurateurs are well aware that they do not serve food; they serve people. By extension, they are perhaps not in the restaurant business but rather the entertainment business. It is how they make their guests feel that truly matters. To understand those delicate ingredients that move their guests, they need to be aware of their conscious and subconscious biases and behavioural traits. Below is a short summary of the 8 core behavioural considerations that could make the difference between a good or great venue—or worse, success or failure. 1. Belonging to a Tribe. People have a hardwired need to belong to a tribe, a “community” or “family” they can relate to. We say “tribe” because it is more natural and instinctive. This stems from our evolution and biological history. While many species can function and survive independently, mammals, and by extension humans, cannot. Our social behaviour is based on thousands of years of survival through relationships to protect ourselves, reproduce, and flourish. A restaurant space that people find conducive to social integration, as a place of belonging, whether they interact with the other guests or not, will disproportionately increase the restaurant's probability of success. As we have pointed out before, people go to restaurants to socialise and to be entertained. Restaurants are, therefore, often busy simply because they are busy. 2. Personality. Think about a restaurant the same way you would think about a person. The people you find most rewarding and tend to gravitate toward are often those you would describe as having a “great personality.” It is someone you find attentive, friendly, charismatic, or funny. Perhaps you are drawn to their humility or their confidence. Perhaps it's their sense of optimism or friendliness. Or perhaps it is just the sense of trust and genuine interest that attracts you. Whatever the attraction, the people in our lives fall largely into two categories: those we admire and those we deeply care about. Popular restaurants are no different. However, if one can fall into the “deeply care about” category, patrons will always forgive a mistake or two—and that can go a long way toward success in a place with so many disproportionate moving parts and single points of failure. 3. Visual Appeal. Beautiful people get half of their credibility because of their visual appeal. Restaurants are no different. Again, this is hardwired in humans to prioritise reproduction with those we find visually appealing first. It is primarily how we have navigated through thousands of years of evolution. We process visual information first, with 30% of the cortex devoted to visual stimuli, enabling the brain to identify visual images in as little as 13 milliseconds. Sixty-five percent of people are visual learners. Most people, therefore, believe that if a place looks good, it must also be good. 4. Invisible Design. These are elements that we don’t find on Pinterest or other visual reference platforms, such as intuitive navigation. A space should feel natural and unhindered. For example, signage is, by and large, a failure of design. The more intuitively a space navigates, the less anxiety we feel, and the happier the space makes us. We are not consciously aware of this. In restaurants, where the toilets are situated is more important than one might think. The height of a chair is another crucial factor. For dining, a chair lower than 450mm or higher than 465mm is painfully uncomfortable and reduces the average dwell time (length of visit). Similarly, tables lower than 750mm or higher than 780mm can have the same effect. While this can work wonders in a fast-food or quick-service restaurant, where you want the average dwell time to be short, it can severely affect the bottom line in a fine dining establishment where the intention is longer, more comfortable visits. That said, rules are also meant to be broken. (More on this in a forthcoming article.) 5. Storytelling. We all love to tell or listen to relatable stories. This is another hardwired DNA imprint, as storytelling through the ages formed a core part of how we transferred history. Stories made it possible for cultures to pass down knowledge, history, and significant events from one generation to the next long before the invention of writing. In the age of experience design, if a restaurant can tell a great story that is relatable and something that can be retold as part of our life story, we ourselves also become more interesting and relatable. Additionally, a great story helps align the concept and all the role players involved in creating a unique venue. It directs the choice of food, cutlery and crockery, lighting, décor and design, uniforms, and even the nature and profile of the waitstaff. A restaurant that is confused about its identity, by extension, also confuses its guests. And a confused guest is not a loyal guest, which has a direct negative impact on the bottom line. 6. Mirror Neurons. This concept ties into what some call the source of empathy: our mirror neurons. These fire when we perform an action ourselves and when we observe another person performing the same action. They likely play a major role in understanding others’ actions and in learning new skills through imitation. Eating in a restaurant where our actions are similar and where we can observe others, the food they order, their etiquette, and their body language, creates comfort and a sense of belonging. Open spaces and sightlines help frame this behaviour. 7. The Remembered Present. The esteemed neuroscientist Gerald Edelman described our daily stimuli and experiences as the “remembered present.” You may feel like you are simply reacting to events around you, but in fact, your brain is constantly and invisibly guessing what you will experience next based on memories that are similar to the present moment. The keyword is similar, not the same. Therefore, a good measure of predictability with just a touch of the unexpected is what we favour and find enjoyable. Too much predictability, like rows of identical spaces or architecture, becomes boring. Too much newness, and our brain struggles to understand it, creating friction and anxiety. A space needs just a small fraction of novelty, what we call the 3% difference. Get this right, and you are bound to appeal to the widest market possible. 8. Social Reality Creates Physical Reality Enough people together create social reality, a reality that did not exist before. If enough people come together to form abstract concepts, share them, and weave them into reality, they become real. This applies to anything, from cryptocurrency, valued only because enough people believe in it, to COVID-19, a deadly virus dismissed by some, thus spreading further. If enough people say a place is good, it must be good. If enough people stand in a queue or book weeks in advance, others will follow. Social reality makes it so. In conclusion, designing successful restaurant spaces goes far beyond serving great food; it’s about understanding and catering to human behaviour. By recognising hardwired needs such as belonging, visual appeal, storytelling, and intuitive design, restaurateurs can create environments that foster connection, comfort, and engagement. When these principles align with human instincts and social dynamics, they not only enhance guest experiences but also pave the way for long-term success. Ultimately, great restaurant design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about shaping spaces that people are naturally drawn to and love to return to.$

Restaurants are far more than places to eat, they are social spaces where people gather, connect, and create memories. While great food is essential, it has become a baseline expectation in today’s competitive hospitality landscape. The true differentiator lies in understanding and designing for the intricacies of human behaviour.

By addressing subconscious needs, evolutionary instincts, and cultural influences, a restaurant can transform from merely functional to deeply engaging. This article explores eight core behavioural considerations that influence the success of a restaurant, offering insights into how design can enhance guest experiences and foster lasting connections.

It goes without saying that successful restaurants have to serve great food. Without it, a restaurant cannot exist. In today's competitive landscape, however, great food has become a passport factor. It is not enough to guarantee success. Great restaurateurs are well aware that they do not serve food; they serve people. By extension, they are perhaps not in the restaurant business but rather the entertainment business. It is how they make their guests feel that truly matters. To understand those delicate ingredients that move their guests, they need to be aware of their conscious and subconscious biases and behavioural traits.

Below is a short summary of the 8 core behavioural considerations that could make the difference between a good or great venue—or worse, success or failure.

1. Belonging to a Tribe.

People have a hardwired need to belong to a tribe, a “community” or “family” they can relate to. We say “tribe” because it is more natural and instinctive. This stems from our evolution and biological history. While many species can function and survive independently, mammals, and by extension humans, cannot. Our social behaviour is based on thousands of years of survival through relationships to protect ourselves, reproduce, and flourish.

A restaurant space that people find conducive to social integration, as a place of belonging, whether they interact with the other guests or not, will disproportionately increase the restaurant's probability of success. As we have pointed out before, people go to restaurants to socialise and to be entertained. Restaurants are, therefore, often busy simply because they are busy.

2. Personality.

Think about a restaurant the same way you would think about a person. The people you find most rewarding and tend to gravitate toward are often those you would describe as having a “great personality.” It is someone you find attentive, friendly, charismatic, or funny. Perhaps you are drawn to their humility or their confidence. Perhaps it's their sense of optimism or friendliness. Or perhaps it is just the sense of trust and genuine interest that attracts you.

Whatever the attraction, the people in our lives fall largely into two categories: those we admire and those we deeply care about. Popular restaurants are no different. However, if one can fall into the “deeply care about” category, patrons will always forgive a mistake or two—and that can go a long way toward success in a place with so many disproportionate moving parts and single points of failure.

3. Visual Appeal.

Beautiful people get half of their credibility because of their visual appeal. Restaurants are no different. Again, this is hardwired in humans to prioritise reproduction with those we find visually appealing first. It is primarily how we have navigated through thousands of years of evolution.

We process visual information first, with 30% of the cortex devoted to visual stimuli, enabling the brain to identify visual images in as little as 13 milliseconds. Sixty-five percent of people are visual learners. Most people, therefore, believe that if a place looks good, it must also be good.

4. Invisible Design.

These are elements that we don’t find on Pinterest or other visual reference platforms, such as intuitive navigation. A space should feel natural and unhindered. For example, signage is, by and large, a failure of design.

The more intuitively a space navigates, the less anxiety we feel, and the happier the space makes us. We are not consciously aware of this. In restaurants, where the toilets are situated is more important than one might think.

The height of a chair is another crucial factor. For dining, a chair lower than 450mm or higher than 465mm is painfully uncomfortable and reduces the average dwell time (length of visit). Similarly, tables lower than 750mm or higher than 780mm can have the same effect. While this can work wonders in a fast-food or quick-service restaurant, where you want the average dwell time to be short, it can severely affect the bottom line in a fine dining establishment where the intention is longer, more comfortable visits. That said, rules are also meant to be broken. (More on this in a forthcoming article.)

5. Storytelling.

We all love to tell or listen to relatable stories. This is another hardwired DNA imprint, as storytelling through the ages formed a core part of how we transferred history. Stories made it possible for cultures to pass down knowledge, history, and significant events from one generation to the next long before the invention of writing.

In the age of experience design, if a restaurant can tell a great story that is relatable and something that can be retold as part of our life story, we ourselves also become more interesting and relatable. Additionally, a great story helps align the concept and all the role players involved in creating a unique venue.

It directs the choice of food, cutlery and crockery, lighting, décor and design, uniforms, and even the nature and profile of the waitstaff. A restaurant that is confused about its identity, by extension, also confuses its guests. And a confused guest is not a loyal guest, which has a direct negative impact on the bottom line.

6. Mirror Neurons.

This concept ties into what some call the source of empathy: our mirror neurons. These fire when we perform an action ourselves and when we observe another person performing the same action.

They likely play a major role in understanding others’ actions and in learning new skills through imitation. Eating in a restaurant where our actions are similar and where we can observe others, the food they order, their etiquette, and their body language, creates comfort and a sense of belonging. Open spaces and sightlines help frame this behaviour.

7. The Remembered Present.

The esteemed neuroscientist Gerald Edelman described our daily stimuli and experiences as the “remembered present.” You may feel like you are simply reacting to events around you, but in fact, your brain is constantly and invisibly guessing what you will experience next based on memories that are similar to the present moment.

The keyword is similar, not the same. Therefore, a good measure of predictability with just a touch of the unexpected is what we favour and find enjoyable. Too much predictability, like rows of identical spaces or architecture, becomes boring. Too much newness, and our brain struggles to understand it, creating friction and anxiety.

A space needs just a small fraction of novelty, what we call the 3% difference. Get this right, and you are bound to appeal to the widest market possible.

8. Social Reality Creates Physical Reality

Enough people together create social reality, a reality that did not exist before. If enough people come together to form abstract concepts, share them, and weave them into reality, they become real.

This applies to anything, from cryptocurrency, valued only because enough people believe in it, to COVID-19, a deadly virus dismissed by some, thus spreading further. If enough people say a place is good, it must be good. If enough people stand in a queue or book weeks in advance, others will follow. Social reality makes it so.

In conclusion,

designing successful restaurant spaces goes far beyond serving great food; it’s about understanding and catering to human behaviour. By recognising hardwired needs such as belonging, visual appeal, storytelling, and intuitive design, restaurateurs can create environments that foster connection, comfort, and engagement. When these principles align with human instincts and social dynamics, they not only enhance guest experiences but also pave the way for long-term success. Ultimately, great restaurant design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about shaping spaces that people are naturally drawn to and love to return to.

Information Reference Index:

Lightman, A. The Accidental Universe: The World You Thought You Knew

Nicholson, N. How Hardwired is Human Behavior?

Roos, D. Why Do We Get So Much Pleasure from Symmetry?

Wagemans, J. Detection of Visual Symmetries

Ariely, D. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Why Visual Appeal Matters

The Role of Evolutionary Psychology in Design

Social Reality and Collective Behaviour

The Neuroscience of Predictability and Surprise

Understanding Mirror Neurons

The Power of Storytelling in Design