15 Restaurant Designs That Failed to Serve Their Dream Aesthetic

"You eat with your eyes first"—that is the one thing I learned from the hundreds of hours I spent binge-watching competitive cooking shows. The visual appeal of the food is part of what makes a good meal truly enjoyable.

There's nothing more disappointing than waiting 15 to 20 minutes for your food to arrive only to find it looking unappetizing. The presentation can elevate the simplest of dishes if done right, but only if it's done correctly.

There's a fine line that determines whether the garnish will make or break your dish. Too much parsley, and you're out; place a non-food item on the plate, and you're just asking for trouble. And dear heavens, enough with the gold flakes on everything!

I'd rather eat a simple macaroni and cheese topped with bacon bits served in a normal bowl than figure out how I'm supposed to eat my dessert out of a shovel. Yes, people prefer to eat their food on normal plates instead of buckets, giant spoons, or laboratory tools.

The ambiance of the place also adds significantly to the restaurant experience. You can't expect people to enjoy their food if the lighting is off or if your decorations are too distracting.

Consider some of these restaurants that recently became the center of attention after people noticed something was a bit off with their designs. Their menus, signage, and overall design do not provide the service they think they do.

1. Imagine carrying a sizzling tray of food on one of these rail-thin ladders. What if the upstairs booth is noisy? Do the people in the ground booth file a complaint?

September89

2. Do not fold the menus at all costs.

[deleted]

3. Oh, wow, Wisconsin, that is too wild even for you.

Skwonkie_

4. I had a complex trying to decipher what this wonderful decal meant. Need a clue? It starts with the word "Welcome."

Nopeasuoli

5. It's one of those post-modern abstract pieces.

hotdogfinatic

6. They're just trying to inform their patrons where their food will end up.

Rawrnosaur

7. I would understand if they served churros in those bowls.

[deleted]

8. Ooh, self-burn; those are rare.

Super_Zac

9. Someone should have vetted that poster before framing and displaying it.

RagnarTohara

10. I'm sure the drunk customers love this reminder.

Buttons_Magee

11. Something about this sign seems racially insensitive for some reason.

Your_Local_Engineer

12. Their concealment technology is still in the prototype stage.

Oc70b3r

13. That's a little too down-to-earth, don't you think?

Jetwynn

14. Either they made a crucial mistake, or this is the most terrifying cow-human hybrid in the restaurant world.

wordboy107

15. Do they just flick your food to you, or is that considered a service as well?

AJD20033

16. I wouldn't trust the food at this place.

SamwiseGamg33

17. No, I did not eat your fries, honey. The giant nose behind me snorted all of them.

pretzelzetzel

18. To beat the hell out of the person who suggested this "innovative" menu design.

jookz

19. The food better not be served by their commercial model fly and its actor friends.

isaacpeterson

It is admittedly difficult to find the line between interesting and pretentious when it comes to design and aesthetics. You can't be too old-fashioned, or you will look out of place, but you can't try too hard either, or things just won't make sense.

That menu wrapped around a wooden pole comes to mind when you think of stepping way out of the box. Sometimes, sticking to the classics will be more beneficial and cost-effective in the long run.