While it’s obvious that old restaurant booths and decor can give an eatery an outdated look, there are other small nuances that can really affect how the establishment is perceived.  Some restaurants are obviously going for the vintage look, but many are simply overlooking the fact that their business hasn’t been updated in years.  Unfortunately, patrons tend to know the difference, so restaurateurs need to recognize if the following nuances are putting off the wrong signal.  

Lighting Fixtures
The nicest cafe tables and modern wall décor can’t do much for an eatery if its lighting isn’t just right.  While it may seem expensive to replace all of the fixtures in a restaurant, it’s actually not as cost-prohibitive as most believe.  This is especially the case when one considers the benefits of updated lighting systems.

Obviously dated fixtures should be immediately replaced.  Fortunately, this can turn into a selling point.  By opting for environmentally friendly lighting systems, along with a few other tweaks, an eatery can start marketing itself as a socially responsible alternative.  Once the word gets out, this can seriously help fill up the restaurant booths.

Updated Uniforms
While a server’s uniform might not make an eatery look like it’s out of a ’50s movie, they can give off a dated feeling for those who consistently visit the restaurant.  Even worse is the fact that these uniforms can make an establishment seem out of touch.  

As the "career wear" look goes out of style in favor of more casual dining, waitstaff may seem like part of an aged system by sticking to the "same old, same old."  Take a moment to reconsider what everyone is wearing.  It won’t often be necessary to make changes in this area, but when it is, people in the restaurant booths will definitely recognize progress.

Restaurant Flooring
If someone were to walk through a Victorian-era home, followed by an apartment from the ’70s and then a kitchen from today, they’d notice some obvious differences in what they were walking on.  If old vinyl flooring covers the entire front of house, and somehow managed to survive years of cafe chairs sliding across it, patrons will take note when they sit down.

Don’t let dated flooring make a restaurant’s ambiance suffer.  Get everything updated, and focus on creating the atmosphere that matches the eatery’s branding.  Wooden floors, for instance, give off a warm, traditional feeling.  Stone floors, on the other hand, convey upper-class living.  Restaurateurs should focus on updating the flooring in the best way to suit their establishment.

Great food, superior customer service and amazing ambiance will never go out of style.  Unfortunately, just about everything else about an eatery can.  When patrons sit down in the restaurant booths, they want an experience to remember.  It’s simply important to ensure that this experience isn’t remembered as "they really need to do something about how old everything looks in there."