10 Secrets of Cafeteria Design

1. Create an exciting, “cool” environment students want to be part of.

2. Combine school mascots, mottos, and themes to create a unique environment for student pride

3. Use school colors to personalize the theme.

4. Place booths around the perimeter wall space to achieve maximum seating capacity.

5. Use visual barrier walls and planters to create intimate small group sections to foster student interaction – remember that the dining period is the only time during the school day that students can easily talk with their friends. Our goal is to make the cafeteria inviting for students to visit.

6. Use traffic control systems to move students efficiently through the serving area – to insure that all students have time to eat during the dining period.

7. Change the “cavernous” appearance of a large dining room with wall art – including mascot murals, academic heroes, and school themes

8. Create a “fast-food restaurant” feel by using the same types of furniture:

   • Booths
   • Pedestal tables
   • Cluster seating

9. Use 3-D artwork in the dining room to focus on a theme:

   • Covered wagon for a western theme
   • Pirate ship
   • Building facades on the walls to create a Western town look

10. Meet ADA seating guidelines with fixed seating to insure compliance on aisle spacing and 5% special seating