News

Updated décor can make a difference

As Penn Station discovers, an updated look is one key to success.

May 17, 2007

When Roger Kirkland signed on to become a Penn Station East Coast Subs franchisee in West Virginia, the company was just starting to update the look and feel of its locations.

 

To make the chain's stores softer and more appealing, a new look was developed that included copper fixtures, canvas-style artwork and earth tone colors. The kitchen was rearranged so employees could face their customers while their food was prepared, and the menu board was adjusted for easier order accuracy.

 

Kirkland, who was a McDonald's franchisee for more than 20 years, said patrons enjoy the new look and feel of the updated locations.

 

"It's a very upscale experience that's just, to me, fantastic," he said. "There's nothing like it. Operationally, it's the same situation but aesthetically there are differences."

 

Kirkland said the upgrade, known as Phase 3, brings new life into the former sub-shop style décor.

 

"Now, you walk into this really laid-back outfit where it's got Cherry wood and beautiful ceramic floors. Everything's there," he said. "We still have a little bit of the old heritage ... but it's changed the whole environment. It's really a coffeehouse experience when you're walking into it."

An updated Penn Station in West Virginia.

 

Penn Station president Craig Dunaway said the company requires a décor upgrade about every seven years. The upgrade is required to keep Penn Station relevant, Dunaway said, and in the forefront of consumers' minds.

 

Perhaps one of the biggest changes is on the makeline. Employees now face the customer as their sandwich is being prepared, significantly reducing the order-taking process.

 

"We move you down the line instantly," Dunaway said. "A process that used to take six to eight minutes we've really moved that up between four and six minutes. It has allowed stores to grow sales because it's expediting the order process. They turn tables faster and it just snowballs in a positive way."

 

The element of design

 

Ernesto Miranda, senior project designer with Dallas-based Vision 360, said restaurant clients and patrons are attracted to warm tones rather than offensive, in-your-face colors.

 

He added that some franchises even include a clause in their contract that franchisees must update their stores every six years. "Six years gives you a nice turnaround on trends," he said. "Updating colors, deeper or lighter, would definitely make a difference and refresh a particular establishment."

 

The region where a patron resides also makes a difference, especially when it comes to the color palate of a restaurant.

 

"If you're in Denver, and you're in four feet of snow, (loud colors) are not going to make you feel warm," he said. "Color influences so much of a person's decision. We really look at the palates of the food ... it's almost as if the restaurant is designed around the food, which is really what you want."

 

Kirkland said his Penn Station upgrades may have been costlier, but the price was worth it.

 

"I think you have to look at what your guest is looking for," he said. "They want to enjoy the food that nobody fixes like we do and they're asking for a better place to do it in."