nion Square Cafe

Union Square Cafe is a 5,600 square-foot restaurant that is located on East Sixteenth Street in Manhattan. It first opened in 1985 and serves a full menu in an everlasting environment that has grown over time. The owner of the restaurant, Danny Meyer, had a concept in the beginning of opening a restaurant that would be compatible with the kind of guest that he would be comfortable serving. This concept included the ideas of being a good value, having the feeling that the restaurant is on the customer's side, and having a staff that knows more about the wine and food than the customer does. This was a new breed of American eatery that paired imaginative food and wine with caring hospitality, comfortable surroundings and exceptional value. It served American cuisine with an Italian soul (Union Square Cafe, n.d.).

The site on Sixteenth Street was chosen because the rent was considerably cheaper than anywhere else. This site had previously been leased by a well know health food store and in the beginning it had been assumed that much of the equipment, existing plumbing, electrical wiring, and ductwork could be used. It was later found out that almost none of it was reusable and had to be scrapped. This added to the total cost of the project, but because the rent was so far below the market it still was a good economic investment.

The total cost of the project was $750,000. $450,000 of this was spent on general construction. This included money for the walls, floors, ceilings, finishes and furniture. $200,000 was spent on the kitchen equipment and installation, which was about 27% of the total budget. This ended up being below the standard average of 30%. The total construction budget ended up exceeding the original bid by 15% due to the fact that this was a renovation project.

Danny Meyer had spent a lot of time in Italy eating in and experiencing many restaurants, along with dining and working in many in the United States. He knew that he wanted a restaurant in which his customers would feel comfortable in. He wanted customers to feel welcome and have the sense that it was an extension of their home. Natural materials were selected in order to create a warm, timeless atmosphere. He chose high wood-beamed ceilings for stability and warmth. They chose to use a collection of art and murals for decoration in order to reflect Danny's attitude towards personalized service and hospitality. The lighting that was picked was contemporary without being flashy. The lighting that was placed around the artwork was chosen in order to highlight the artwork. This lighting created a warm glow that reflected off of the walls that ended up being very flattering to skin tones and made people look very good in the space. Danny Meyer believes that this is one of the keys to the success that the Union Square Cafe has afforded. Although there is no carpet in the restaurant the guests are able to hold conversations very easily. Fabric-wrapped acoustical panels were used in the mezzanine area in order to help baffle sounds.

The entry into Union Square Cafe has high ceilings and an archway that can be seen from the street. This casual area sets the tone for a comfortable and elegant dining experience. Once inside, customers are either brought to their tables or to the bar. The bar area represents 25% of the ground level and is the core of the space. There are three distinct areas that are used for dining. There is a low-ceiling intimate room that is a few steps down past the maitre d area, a dining area in the rear, and the popular mezzanine space that overlooks the rear dining area. These intimate dining areas create a personal sense of space so that each customer feels at home. Meyer says that he opted for a few less seats than could actually fit into the space and opted to space the tables further apart in order to provide a more comfortable environment for both the guests and the staff. The flow of customers and staff in the dining areas appears to work well for everyone involved, including the management staff.

The kitchen space has been added on to over the years in order to keep up with the popularity of the restaurant. This has led to some maintenance costs, but all were necessary in order to make better use of the space that was available. They built an addition in the courtyard to house salad prep sinks and upright refrigerators. The dishwashing area was moved to an area that was once an office, and the offices were moved up to the mezzanine level. The kitchen space if very small which leads to runners having to stop right past the waiter's station and wait for plates to be handed to them. This does not lend to an efficient flow of staff in the kitchen. The small kitchen space also creates problems for the management of the kitchen staff, since the chefs are constantly moving from station to station in order to keep an eye on everything. The size of the kitchen and its tight configuration has also led to a much simpler menu because the work centers in the kitchen are based upon the menu. Having a small set structure in the kitchen also helps to promote good sanitary conditions.