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...

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.
The Union Square Cafe is a huge success today, and part of this success can be attributed back to the design team that created it. Architect Larry Bogdanow and his associate Warren Ashworth were part of the site selection process that came up with such a successful location. The advice that Meyer received from this team before the lease was signed helped to reduce the overall cost of the entire project. It is felt that it is very important to have a qualified restaurant architect review a potential site location so that they can advise on any code violations, utility deficiencies, and other factors that could lead to more costs than expected. The idea is to spend as little as possible while creating a hugely successful establishment that will not only pay for itself in a short amount of time, but begin to turn a profit as well. And this seems to be just what Danny Meyer has done with the Union Square Cafe.

References

Union Square Cafe. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2009, from Web site:

http://www.unionsquarecafe.com/aboutusc.html