Commercial Fit Out For Hospitality
17th December, 2023

In the competitive hospitality industry, creating an exceptional yet functional environment is key to attracting and retaining customers. From single venues to franchise rollouts, a well-designed space enhances the guest experience and maximises operational efficiency.
We specialise in commercial fit out solutions tailored to the unique needs of the hospitality sector, ensuring every project reflects our customer’s brand and values.
Every commercial fit out requires more than creativity; it calls for precise planning, skilled execution, and flawless collaboration. Every day, our customers can expect quality, integrity and proactivity. Our integrated approach delivers all these and brings the exceptional design, build, shopfit and joinery services to make your vision a reality.
DBSJ is an award-winning specialist fit out contractor with a passionate commitment to quality and attention to detail, all delivered by a team who have worked together for nearly two decades on a diverse range of hospitality commercial fit out projects. These include:
Hospitality Fit Out Examples | Design and Fit Out Insights and Tips |
Quick service units | Quick-service restaurants focus on streamlined operations for fast and efficient food service. Key considerations include: – Self-service ordering stations and informal dining areas. – Optimised kitchen workflows and clear customer flow. – Space-efficient layouts and self-service points of sale. – Digital menu displays and easy-to-clean furniture. – Provisions for dark kitchens, mobile order pick-up, and drive-thrus. – Acoustic management and sanitation stations. – Outdoor seating. – DDA compliance. |
Travel outlets | Travel outlets focus on efficiency and speed, similar to quick-service restaurants, with features tailored for travellers, such as: – Inclusion of chillers or refrigerated displays for self-service of pre-packaged food and drinks. – Catering to grab-and-go items like sandwiches, salads, snacks, and bottled drinks. – Prioritise compact, space-efficient layouts for high foot traffic in airports, train stations, and service areas. – Clear customer flow pathways, durable, easy-to-clean surfaces, and furniture. – Technology features: contactless payment systems and digital displays for convenience. |
Coffee shops | Coffee shops focus on creating a welcoming ambiance for longer stays and multi-purpose use. Customer experience is key, catering to various needs, including quick takeaways, working with Wi-Fi and plug sockets, or socialising. Key considerations include: – Thoughtful spatial design ensuring comfort, especially for customers with belongings like shopping bags or prams.– Dedicated mobile order pick-up areas to improve convenience and streamline operations. – Coffee machine area design, which is critical for workflow efficiency. – Robust cleaning systems to maintain a tidy, inviting environment. |
Pubs | Pubs require durable, easy-to-clean bar tops to withstand regular use and spills. Design should allow comfortable patron seating, standing, and waiting, while enabling bartenders to work efficiently. Key differences include: – Drink prep areas, washing stations, and organised storage for glassware, garnishes, and ingredients. – Bottle displays aligning with brewers’ branding. – Essential equipment: refrigerators, ice bins, beer taps, coffee machines, blenders, cocktail shakers, sinks, and cash registers, all strategically placed for smooth operations. |
Bars | Key differences: – Bar height, width, clearance, footrails, and seating must be optimised for staff efficiency and customer comfort. – Design should consider food offerings, influencing kitchen layouts and seating (e.g., tapas vs. full meals). – Licensing model impacts space flow, with table service requiring different arrangements than a bar-order setup. – Lighting is crucial for zoning the space and creating the right ambiance for a welcoming pub experience. |
Restaurants | Restaurants often have a bar area in addition to the dining area, offering a multifunctional space for drinks or waiting. Main dining area typically operates with table service, with a variety of seating options for different group sizes (2-person, 4-person, 8-person tables). Private dining areas may be included for special occasions or exclusive bookings. Key considerations include: – Balancing maximum covers with guest comfort, avoiding overcrowding, and maintaining a welcoming atmosphere. – Spatial planning ensures adequate space between tables for comfort and efficiency. – Layout must allow easy and safe movement for waitstaff, ensuring smooth service and customer experience. – Kitchen design is crucial, planned by a specialist to optimise food prep, cooking, plating, cleaning, efficiency, safety, and health compliance. |
Membership venues | Private members’ clubs and golf courses require input from multiple stakeholders, with consultation throughout the design and construction process. Key considerations include: – Spaces need to accommodate various functions, including events (e.g., weddings) and food/beverage services, requiring versatile, multi-purpose areas. – Furniture must balance ease of cleaning with high comfort, prioritising durability and practicality to maintain an inviting atmosphere. – Multi-floor facilities may need a dumbwaiter or similar system to transport goods (food, beverages, supplies) efficiently. – Design should reflect the club’s diverse uses while meeting both operational and aesthetic needs. |
Dark / ghost kitchens | Dark or ghost kitchens (also known as virtual kitchens) are designed for preparing food and beverages for delivery, focusing on speed and operational efficiency. Key considerations include: – These kitchens may have multi-concept setups, preparing different cuisines simultaneously, with clearly defined zones (hot, cold, prep, cooking, packing) to optimise workflow. – Technology is key, with real-time order tracking, smart kitchen equipment, and advanced order management solutions enhancing efficiency. – High standards of food safety and hygiene are essential in maintaining a safe food service environment. |
What makes commercial fit out for hospitality so unique?
Commercial fit out for hospitality can be a complex process. We work to simplify this for our customers by managing the end-to-end process of transforming an interior space into a fully functional, aesthetically pleasing, branded environment, tailored to the specific needs of the venue or outlet style and commercial model. Whilst each project or location is unique, this process typically involves:
- Designing: Creating layouts that optimise guest flow, comfort, and operational efficiency.
- Space planning: This critical test-to-fit phase will look at occupancy levels and requirements – for instance, in terms of desk positions and meeting rooms – to ensure the space is viable for the business.
- Interior Design & Layout: Tailoring the design to match the brand requirements as well as functional requirements, such as planning for bar detailing, kitchen, service areas, WCs, DDA access, front of house (customer seating) and back of house (storage, particularly kegs in pubs).
- Furnishing: For instance, installing bar joinery, tables, chairs, banquet seating, booth seating, waiter stations, soft furnishings (curtains, blinds etc), lighting design etc.
- Technology Integration: Technology integration in commercial hospitality fit outs includes POS systems for streamlined ordering and payments, digital menus, and self-service kiosks. Screens and AV systems for live sports, climate control, and Wi-Fi enhance the customer experience. Kitchen display systems and order management tools improve back-of-house efficiency and operations.
- Installing Fixtures and Finishes: Incorporating furniture, lighting, flooring, and décor that align with the brand’s identity and create a memorable atmosphere.
- Customising Spaces: Designing areas such as reception lobbies, guest rooms, dining spaces, and bars to meet operational and guest expectations.
- Ensuring Compliance: Adhering to industry standards, including safety, accessibility, and environmental regulations.
The importance of design for commercial hospitality fit outs
Our end-to-end integrated approach has shown time-and-again how to achieve stakeholder confidence and demonstrates our professionalism and dedication to ensuring a first-class ongoing customer experience.
A well-thought-out design enhances guest experiences in any commercial hospitality fit out approach, and our design team believe the design and layout of a space are more than aesthetic choices. They are strategic tools that directly enhance how guests perceive a brand, and critically appreciate and enjoy the hospitality experience. It is also a critical tool for ensuring a seamless customer and staff flow, maximising and making best use of space both front and back of house. A well-executed commercial fit out ensures that every detail is considered for comfort, functionality, and to achieve that memorable guest experience which brings back customers time and time again.
Senior Designer at DBSJ, Ciara Neve, adds: “It’s also important to remember that guests form opinions about a venue within seconds of arrival, making the entrance and reception area a vital focus during the design phase. We creatively envision how to make it instantly welcoming and at the same time consider carefully how we introduce elements and touch points to reflect your brand identity, ensuring the integrity of your brand is maintained consistently.”
Ensuring durability and sustainability in your commercial hospitality fit out
We are proud to collaborate with partners to ensure we are supporting their responsibility credentials, including in our approach to selecting, designing and manufacturing materials and fittings which are durable and sustainable. We can advise on how to best incorporate sustainable design choices, such as eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient lighting.
Supporting compliance in your fit out
Compliance is another critical consideration in hospitality commercial fit outs. We support you every step of the way – from fire safety regulations to accessibility standards – ensuring that all design and construction elements meet legal requirements is essential for the safety and comfort of guests and staff.
We prioritise adherence to the latest building standards, fire risk assessments and licencing plans (for the sale of alcohol) integrating features such as clear signage, wheelchair-accessible layouts, and appropriate life safety measures.
By embedding compliance into every stage of the design and fit out process, we, along with our specialist partners can advise on the steps needed to take to create a compliant hospitality venue.
How we support hospitality franchise fit out rollouts
We bring exceptional experience in expanding franchises in the hospitality sector, knowing they require consistency, efficiency, and attention to detail.
Joe Pearson, Account Director at DBSJ, says: “We bring the experience and skillset to ensuring each location delivers the same brand experience but at the same time, we help adapt to site-specific challenges.”
A uniform design approach ensures every franchise location reflects the brand’s identity and standards, from colour schemes and materials to signage and furniture. We work with your brand guidelines to ensure each location feels familiar and delivers the same high-quality guest experience, no matter where it’s located.
With the big picture always in frame, our team manages every aspect of the rollout process, from site surveys and design adaptation to installation and handover. We also guarantee streamlined workflows and effective project management to ensure we meet deadlines and budgets without compromising on quality.
Why choose DBSJ for your hospitality commercial fit out?
Our purpose is helping our customers turn their ideas into a buildable reality – on time, on budget, and on brand.
We are proud of every project, product, and design we deliver, ensuring timely delivery, the highest quality and unwavering dependability at every stage.
DBSJ would be an exceptional commercial fit out partner to your hospitality business. Voted Fit Out Specialist Contractor of the Year at the 2024 Construction News Specialist Awards, we are proud of our exceptional reputation and the hard-earned success achieved along the way.
The hospitality sector has unique requirements from their commercial fit out partner and our time-served, experienced team bring the understanding, care and commitment to quality and attention to detail any hospitality brand expects.
Above all, we intend to deliver on your vision and are attuned to how the hospitality industry thrives on providing memorable guest experiences, and the right commercial fit out can be the foundation for that success. With DBSJ’s expertise, your space can stand out while delivering operational excellence.
Contact us today to discuss how we can bring your vision to life.