Antisocial

Antisocial is a food-to-go concept that embraces the awkwardness of physical distancing. It playfully welcomes you to grab a coffee or a juice whilst keeping your distance from other people. After all, being a city-centre concept, you probably weren’t going to talk to them anyway were you? Not all hospitality spaces are about socialising and this concept plays up to that awkwardness through the branding, tone of voice and interior architecture.

The space is certainly designed to make customers feel comfortable though, by having a beautifully clear ordering journey and even an option to order and collect without stepping foot inside the store.  This brand genuinely cares about your well-being.

There is flexibility in the layout too, so when physical distancing is no longer required, more seating can be added. Albeit, this extra seating still protects you from too much social interaction…. so you can still choose to be a socialite on furlough.

Brand design

• The logo is divided in two and each half is deliberately sectioned off from one another. The design can flex with these changing times, just as guidance on physical distancing will flex; whether it be elongated across the shopfront or ‘closed up’ to fit the menu format.

• These illustrated characters form the antisocial family – always seen in isolation, amusing themselves.

• The colour palette of muted neons is designed to be fresh and fun alongside a tone of voice that is humorous and a little tongue-in-cheek.
• The menu design plays with the sense of awkwardness that comes out of physical distancing. The spacing and alignment is designed to be perfectly readable, whilst being sectioned off from one another.

Plan

• There is a separate entrance and exit, with a one way system in operation to ensure customers are kept apart and hand sanitiser stations by each one. A central divider screen is designed to keep guests apart.
• In order to help customers avoid coming inside, the shopfront includes an automated hatch for takeaway and delivery orders placed through an app. These orders are made up at the main counter and then theatrically delivered to the hatch via an overhead conveyor system.
• Queuing zones are clearly defined with fully integrated floor graphics that blend into the architecture of the space.
• The number of covers means that the space can be served by a single accessible toilet cubicle, removing the need for any communal areas and lobbies. Doors, taps, soap and hand driers are all automatic to minimise points of contact.
• The seating to the right is set back from the main circulation area to provide protection and includes sliding screens to allow for a flexible division of space.

 Shopfront

• The takeaway hatch is a prominent design feature that projects through the shopfront and includes a floor graphic indicating how far away people should stand when waiting their turn.
• Next to the automatic entrance door there is a neon signage system indicating when the shop has reached capacity – green means go, red means stop.
• A double sided projecting menu allow for more than one person to review it at the same time without having to get too close to each other.

Queuing

• The central screen is made of upcycled window panels, whilst planters to the lower portion pick up the brand’s theme through the use of those most antisocial of plants – cacti.
• The material palette is intended to be warm, even soothing, as a counterpoint to the physical distancing measures in place and brand tone of voice. It has been designed with sustainability in mind, using upcycled windows for the screens, cork for the furniture, cradle 2 cradle certified tiles, FSC timber and a preserved moss ceiling.

Ordering and collecting

• The counter area protects staff and the fresh product display behind framed glass screens. Refrigerated product is displayed in large fridges seen on the back wall. There is no self service here.
• You can see the overhead delivery system to the right hand side of the counter, which adds interest and theatre to the design.
• The menu is projected onto the timber wall at high level, meaning it can be updated easily without the need for staff to physically touch it.

Seating

• Upcycled glass sliding screens are used to divide up the seating area. Larger groups (if permitted) can be accommodated by sliding the screens back into the wall.
• If you are dining alone, each section comes complete with an illustrated friend.

If you are looking for more general thoughts on what changes a food-to-go restaurant may need to make in the face of social distancing measures, please take a look at this article here.

You can also download a pdf presentation of this concept here

Any questions? Want to talk to us about creating something exciting? Get in touch with david@objectspaceplace.com