Understanding restaurant design pricing is the first step for any owner before opening, because the design budget directly shapes the look, the space and the customer experience. Rather than asking “how much per square metre”, it is far more useful to understand the components of cost so your budget reflects reality. This article breaks down the factors that drive a restaurant design quote.

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The factors that drive cost

  • Floor area: the first variable — the larger the space, the more materials, labour and construction time required, pushing the budget up.
  • Design style: modern (minimal, functional), classical (intricate detailing, premium materials), vintage (repurposed, nostalgic pieces) or industrial (concrete, timber, raw metal) — each style carries a different cost level.
  • Materials: natural wood and stone are expensive but upscale and durable; engineered and repurposed materials cost less but need skilful styling to stay attractive.
  • Equipment and furniture: tables and chairs, the lighting system and above all the kitchen equipment have a major impact on both total cost and service quality.

A warm restaurant interior with carefully selected furniture

Investment levels for reference

Restaurant design quotes typically fall into tiers by investment level:

  • Basic design: suits simple, eye-catching spaces of moderate size without elaborate requirements.
  • Professional design: for distinctive, upscale spaces requiring experienced architects and interior designers.
  • Construction and fit-out cost: the largest share of the total budget, driven directly by the materials and style you have chosen.

A dining space designed with a distinctive character

Design service packages

When engaging a design firm, owners usually choose one of three packages:

  • Basic package: floor plan layout, essential furniture design and colour consultation.
  • Advanced package: adds detailed design for each zone and material selection.
  • Turnkey package: the full journey from concept and design through construction, fit-out and handover.

The benefit of a professional firm is a distinctive space, an optimised budget and construction timeline, and quality assured from design through to build.

A restaurant laid out to optimise the guest experience

Why choose single-point design and build?

For a restaurant, a beautiful design is only half the job. The other half is building it correctly — especially the technical packages prone to cost overruns: the kitchen, water supply and drainage, extraction, electrical works and waterproofing. Consolidating design and construction under one general contractor makes the quote transparent from day one, limits variations and keeps the opening date under control.

AIC designs and builds restaurants and cafés turnkey under a single-point model, with over 10 years of experience (since 2016 under the predecessor Nhân Việt; AIC was founded in 2019) and two in-house factories (1,200 m² and 600 m²). From a floor plan, AIC can produce a BOQ estimate within roughly 4 working hours so owners know their budget early; projects are handed over with a warranty of up to 24 months. See our restaurant and café design and build service and read café interior design: 7 things every operator should know.

Frequently asked questions

How is restaurant design usually priced?

Most quotes are based on floor area, but the exact figure depends on style, material grade and the complexity of technical systems (kitchen, plumbing and electrical, extraction). The most accurate approach is a cost estimate built from your actual floor plan and concept.

Should design and construction be separate, or turnkey?

A single-point turnkey arrangement is usually more transparent and easier to control: a firm that designs what it builds quotes closer to reality, limits variations and cannot shift blame between parties when problems arise.

Which costs are most often overlooked in a restaurant project?

The technical packages: the kitchen system, water supply and drainage, extraction, grease treatment, high-capacity electrical works, waterproofing and acoustic insulation. These are the items most likely to generate cost overruns if not fully counted in the initial quote.