Automation is the top trend in restaurant restroom design, according to 61% of rd+d readers surveyed in August. That means fewer touchpoints and automating everything — from auto-flush toilets to sinks and hand dryers.
Increasingly, restaurant restroom designs call for full-height stalls and other elements to enhance privacy, according to 55% of rd+d readers. Readers could pick more than one answer.
Sustainability in water and energy use is a top trend, according to 48% of respondents. And gender-neutral bathrooms, including full private stalls/rooms, is a top trend for 42% or restaurant designers.
In line with the greater emphasis on privacy in public restrooms, 39% of readers surveyed note they are designing with greater sound insulation between stalls or rooms.
Readers also note that they are working to design better spaces that are accessible to all — going beyond the ADA requirements to ensure every guest has a good experience. One reader says “custom decor” is key. Another notes that they purposefully “emphasize to our clients how important high-end design is” in restrooms. Similarly, another respondent says they seek to add “wow” moments and dramatic design concepts in restrooms.
Good restroom design, notes one respondent, includes “design language, materials, lighting, and even scent or music curated to extend the restaurant’s story into the restroom, turning what used to be a back-of-house necessity into a seamless part of the guest journey.”
rd+d regularly surveys subscribers on the state of restaurant development and design. This survey was fielded in August 2025. Subscribe to The Pulse to get rd+d’s surveys and results delivered to your inbox six times a year.
