Tabletop/Front Of House News

Discover the top restaurant design trends for 2026. Boost social appeal, efficiency, and revenue with small, smart updates your guests will love. If you can’t remember the last time you refreshed your restaurant design, this is for you. Today’s diners aren’t just booking tables—they’re booking moments, experiences, and memorable spaces. They scroll, search, and choose…

The following is a guest post by Ryan Volberg, CEO and founder of Guestologie, a guest intelligence platform built for multi-location restaurant operators. Opinions are the author’s own. The answer to repeat customer visits isn’t more loyalty tiers or programs, but deploying guest data to enhance experiences and remember preferences, writes Guestologie’s Ryan Volberg. The…

White walls and succulents, begone — the people yearn for lived-in furniture, dark wood, and Grandma’s tchotchkes “Once 2010s minimalism is gone, what’s the next main aesthetic?” This question was asked in a Reddit thread a year ago, and lately, its application to the world of restaurant decor has been growing in my mind. Until…

The Watermark Hotel in Tysons, Virginia has a secret on its 25th floor. Open an unassuming door in the fitness center’s sauna and you’ll be transported to the streets of Tokyo within The Naisho Room, a hidden speakeasy serving Japanese spirits and an Omakase dining experience by executive sushi chef Hobin Kim. “We wanted to…

The brand overhaul includes a refreshed bucket logo, store design, and food and beverage line-up. uick-service restaurant (QSR) chain KFC is rolling out a worldwide brand overhaul spanning food, beverages, restaurant design and visual identity. The company is adding more boneless options, supported by a new global sauce “pantry” of more than 20 sauces. These…

With off-premises dining capturing a massive share of restaurant revenue, packaging has become a storefront marketing tool that brands must treat as a proxy for hospitality and intentionally design the unboxing experience. “The real opportunity is less about how the box looks and more about how it makes the guest feel,” said Alexis Gillette, VP…

Because a majority of potential guests encounter a restaurant online before ever walking in the door, having a clear digital footprint is critical for restaurant success, explained Vanessa Errecarte, personal branding expert at UC Davis Graduate School of Management. “If you don’t shape your digital presence, something else will. That might be outdated reviews, random…

The most memorable dining experiences cannot be defined by a single element. While quality food and service remain paramount, growing competition in the food and beverage industry and diners’ preference for visually compelling restaurants have introduced an emphasis on how the entire experience unfolds from the moment guests arrive to the moment they leave. This…

Large-scale matador artworks at Beast & Butterflies Downtown restaurant bring the restaurant’s Spanish-inspired concept to life. The dramatic designs echo that heritage and spirit as well as create a stronger connection between what guests see, feel, and taste, explained Krista Birnbaum, Senior Art Curator at Eaton Fine Art, which curated the art collection for the…

The cleanliness of facilities is doing far more work than most businesses realize. It is not just a maintenance standard or an operational detail, it is a signal. And increasingly, it is a defining element of brand reputation. Cleanliness consistently ranks at the top of what shapes customer satisfaction, influencing how people perceive and remember…