How QSRs Achieve Consistent Interiors on a National Scale

In the competitive, and fast-changing world of quick-service restaurants (QSRs), creating a strong brand identity is increasingly crucial for success. Interior design is an effective way to establish a brand identity and provide a great customer experience. Developing a consistent, winning interior design on a national scale, however, can be challenging.

In this blog post, we will share actionable tips for achieving great, brand-consistent, interior designs that keep customers coming back.

Design Guidelines and Brand Standards

The first step in ensuring design consistency across all national locations is to develop design and brand guidelines and standards, which will streamline work and decision-making for franchisees. While brand guidelines can be relatively simple, the more detail and thought that goes into them, the more direction franchisees have to work with, ensuring a consistent standard is met.

Archmill works alongside corporate teams to develop in-depth design guidelines and solutions that provide a clear direction for franchisees, ensuring the simplest and smoothest process. This includes design assistance from our dedicated team of designers, who often create a playbook for different scenarios, with the goal of creating great customer experiences that align with the overall brand – no matter what location your customer walks in, it should feel familiar to them.

As an example, the McDonald’s Design Guide is a detailed set of design guidelines that outlines everything from color schemes and lighting specifications, to furniture design and the use of the “Golden Arches”. What this detailed guide does is provide clarity, ensuring that all locations know how to implement the same look and feel.

Subway and Starbucks also provide a comprehensive set of brand standards that extend beyond interior design to also cover product design, packaging, and marketing.

The more detail and guidance provided from the top, the more likely the brand identity will be consistent across the nation.

Modular Design and Rapid Re-Image

As we’ve written about in the past, more and more QSRs are opting for modular designs, pre-fabrication, and Rapid Re-Imaging, which simplify change and installation, as well as the implementation of consistent design across multiple locations.

A Re-Image is one of the most effective ways for QSRs to refresh and re-organize an interior, and much of the work can be done quickly and easily on a national scale. This includes:

• Replacing counters, cabinets, tabletops, and seats 

• Adding digital displays and kiosks

• Updating existing fixtures

• Installing new flooring, ceiling tiles, and finishes

• Recladding 

• New interior signage and graphics

The Archmill House team has years of experience overseeing QSR Re-Imaging projects for national brands, including Popeyes and Tim Hortons, among many others. See this Popeyes location in West Virginia for an example of a successful Re-Image. Get in touch today to discuss your remodel needs. 

Other QSRs brands that have adopted a modular design system include Chipotle, Shake Shack, and Sweetgreen. 

Partnering With An Interior Design Expert

Developing a winning, national QSR interior design can be a complex and time-consuming process, and it's often best to seek out help from an expert. Working with Archmill House can provide the necessary expertise and resources to streamline the design process and ensure that the final result is consistent and on-brand across all locations.

Archmill House has 30 years of experience working with QSR chains, including developing and implementing modular designs, overseeing re-imaging projects, and helping to create brand guidelines and standards. Our dedicated team of designers also offers in-house design assistance, providing franchisees with a dynamic design package of 3D images, including drawings of your existing building, and renderings of the remodeling project that follow and enhance new brand guidelines.

By partnering with a design expert, QSR chains can focus on their core business while the work is completed, helping to reduce operational disruptions and ensuring that they create a great customer experience – at all locations. We are your one-stop shop for design, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing for your remodel needs.

Archmill’s Rapid Re-Image Solution provides a full update to your restaurant with:

• No dark time

• No staff deployment or internal franchisee work

• A reduced construction schedule of 7 to 10 days

Archmill House's commitment to durable, sustainable materials and furnishings can also help QSRs align with consumer values and expectations and help maintenance. With high volumes of foot traffic and frequent use, QSR interiors need to be able to withstand wear and tear. McDonald's and Subway, for example, have made extensive use of materials like vinyl flooring and laminates, which are known for their durability, while also being cost-effective. 

Get in touch today with the Archmill House team to learn more about our Rapid Re-Image Solution and get a quote.