Interior design and flow in your café – From kitchen to counter

Imagine walking into a café where everything just works. You are greeted by a friendly atmosphere, an efficient queue and a barista serving your coffee with a smile. The secret behind this experience? A well-thought-out interior design and a good workflow.

Why does flow matter?

The flow in your café is key to creating a smooth and stress-free experience – for both your customers and employees. Think of it like a dance. If everyone moves in harmony, everything seems easy. But without flow, it can quickly become chaotic and inefficient.

Let's take an example: A café in Copenhagen invested in a large counter with a separate coffee and cake area. This meant that customers could choose and pay quickly while the coffee was being brewed. The result? Shorter waiting times and happier customers.

Device that works

When designing your café, start by thinking practically. How will people move around? Where will they order? Where do people naturally congregate? A common mistake is placing the coffee machine behind a narrow counter, which creates congestion.

A few things to consider:

• Ordering area : Position the cash register so that customers can quickly get an overview of the menu.

• Serving area : Make sure there is space for multiple baristas to work simultaneously. There should be a minimum of 110 cm between the back counter and the front counter.

• Seating : Create different zones – high tables for busy customers and cozy corners for longer visits.

The rhythm of the kitchen

Your kitchen is the engine of your café. The flow here should be so optimal that employees can work efficiently without stepping on each other's toes. Consider investing in steel furniture such as steel tables, steel shelves and racks that can be adapted to your space.

A café in Aarhus chose to use the corners of the kitchen for a dishwashing station and storage space. This freed up the middle for sandwich production – and created an efficient workplace.

In the kitchen, it is important to avoid cross-contamination. Therefore, you should keep dishwashing separate from production areas. For example, raw and dirty vegetables should not come into contact with meat and other foods.

To ensure the fewest possible breakdowns, avoid having refrigerated furniture right next to a deep fryer, oven and other hot machines.

Don't forget the atmosphere

Even the best flow can be sabotaged by a bad mood. Make sure your decor feels inviting. Warm colors, pleasant lighting, and small details like plants or local artwork can make a huge difference.

An example: A book café in Odense made the interior design part of the concept by using old bookshelves as room dividers. This created both coziness and practical storage solutions.

Furniture, curtains, plants and carpets are fantastic natural acoustic solutions that help reduce reverberation and echo in the café. If the acoustics are poor, your guests will not return. See more about acoustic solutions on our sister site Makeoffice.dk .

Test and adapt

Once you have your layout in place, test it out. Invite friends or family over for a test night. Does the queue work? Is there enough space for the staff behind the counter? Remember, you can always adjust the layout if something doesn't work.

Need help?

A well-thought-out interior design takes time and consideration, but it pays off in the end. If you need help finding the right equipment or inspiration for interior design, contact Cosina on 42613995 or info@cosina.dk . We will help you create a café that both looks good and functions optimally.