rd+d - The Pulse

What Are the Best Ways to Curb Costs on New Restaurant Projects?

Survey after survey shows that keeping costs contained is a top priority for restaurant development + design readers.

Readers Weigh in On Election Year Concerns

In a pulse survey fielded in June, just 24% of restaurant development + design readers said 2024 being a presidential election year impacts their business plans.

Readers Split on Grab-and-Go in Restaurants

Adding grab-and-go retail sales areas to restaurants has become increasingly popular but it’s not a must-have — at least not yet.

Drive-Thrus Driving Restaurant Site-Selection

Drive-thrus have been trending since the pandemic broke out in spring 2020.

What’s One Restaurant Design Trend that Needs to Go Away?

One key theme emerged when readers were asked which restaurant design trend they’d like to see go away.

Is the Suburban Restaurant Boom Over?

New growth does not have a one-size-fits-all answer.

Labor and Staffing Issues Continue to Plague Readers

A whopping 56% of restaurant development + design readers surveyed in April say that labor and staffing represent the biggest challenge they face right now.

Operators Invest in Renovations in 2024

Readers say interior renovations and additions were where they’d seen the greatest operator investment in existing units so far in 2024.

Poor Acoustics Top Pet Peeve for Restaurant Designers

35% of readers of restaurant development + design magazine said “poor acoustics” was their number one restaurant design pet peeve.

What’s Played Out in Restaurant Design

Open/visible kitchens topped the list of overdone restaurant design trends for 30% of survey respondents.

Outdoor Dining Now Standard in Restaurant Builds

Readers report the overwhelming majority of their new projects include an outdoor dining component.

Restaurant Designers Not Embracing AI — Yet

With the world in the midst of an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, rd+d asked readers to weigh in on how they use AI in their work.

Top Aesthetic Trend of 2024: White, Bright, Clean and Transparent

While no one aesthetic dominates restaurant spaces, several design concepts continue to move the needle on the projects.

Sustainable Building Practices Top of Mind

An overwhelming percentage of readers believe that sustainability is important in their new builds and renovation projects.

Readers Wish to Better Understand Kitchen Tech

When asked which technology solution they would like to understand better, 44% of restaurant development + design readers had one solution at the top of their lists.

Are Bars Getting Bigger?

30% of restaurant development + design readers surveyed noted that their bar projects are getting bigger.

Where are Restaurant Developers Focusing their Efforts in 2024?

In the wake of the pandemic, the consensus was that economic development was shifting to suburban areas, but that doesn’t seem to hold true for restaurant development + design readers.

Business is Booming for rd+d Readers

The majority of rd+d readers said their bottom lines were the same or better than projected so far in 2023, as of an August pulse survey.

Operators Are Remodeling Inside and Out

Operators are remodeling, according to the latest pulse survey from rd+d. And it’s a split!

Readers Say Construction Costs Are Higher

While inflation appears to be easing for consumers overall, construction costs have gone up, according to rd+d readers.

Supply Chain Issues Continue to Affect Restaurants

Though supply chain woes have slipped from the headlines and have eased overall, it appears the restaurant industry is not in the clear yet.

Readers Weigh in on Restaurant Design Mistakes

When asked to name the biggest front-of-the-house restaurant design mistakes they see in the wild, rd+d readers had plenty of opinions.

On-Premises Dining Making a Surprise Comeback?

The death of on-premises dining has been overstated — at least according to rd+d’s latest pulse survey.

What’s the Best Advice You Have for Operators Working with Designers?

When asked to offer up their best advice for operators working with restaurant designers, 45% of rd+d readers said that communication and teamwork are key to a successful project, according to a pulse survey fielded in February 2023.

Understanding Consumer Behavior Top Desire for Restaurant Designers

In a pulse survey fielded in February 2023, 52% of rd+d readers wished they had a better understanding of consumer behavior.

What’s Your Biggest Pet Peeve in Restaurant Design?

In a pulse survey fielded in February, 57% of restaurant development + design readers say that poor acoustics that make it hard for dining companions to hear one another is their biggest pet peeve in restaurant design. But that was far from the only complaint!

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The Pulse