Macaroni and Cheese - what's not to love? When asked to assist in the creation of a franchise specialty menu restaurant by the name of Macaroni and Cheese Shop (MACS), the ADCI design team worked through a series of concerns to achieve a fast comfort food brand that communicates a trend that is durable and has the ability to be reproduced in different locations and different size spaces. Owners tasked ADCI to create a maximally durable environment that maintains a warm and casual industrial-influenced theme. Unique challenges included the creation of several custom cabinetry designs, most critically one to display brand hats, t-shirts and grab-and-go impulse items as patrons enter and secondly, a themed unit to create trash, wooden base and skillet return for soiled items.
Themed photo images of the owner's family members delving into macaroni were mounted on a thin-brick wall to set the family-friendly tone for the seating area. Built-in bench seating and metal chairs are durable, washable and flexible. An over-sized corner booth with a cluster of Edison bulbs wrapped around a rustic beam seats up to 12, providing the perfect space within the space for larger groups, such as birthday party events that are hosted at the restaurant each week.
Subway tile with contrasting grout adds to the vintage flavor, and a large custom designed mural tells the story of cheese and its identity in Wisconsin. Corrugated metal and reclaimed wood provide easy aging materials that patina with use, never looking worn out, but rather appear pre-worn and part of the theme. Floors are clad in floating luxury vinyl wood-look plank for ease of maintenance and repair. Counters are matte finish solid surface in black or white, dependent upon area of use. The monochromatic neutral color palette is only broken by the golden tones of Wisconsin cheese applied to booth backs and accent areas.
Ceiling tiles have a sophisticated aged tin appearance, but are actually an extruded material...lightweight, inexpensive and easy to maintain. The display shelving incorporated into the order counter is designed for easy elegance and is kept free of products and supplies for a more luxury, home-like feel not found in most fast food establishments.
Warm, clean and clear of clutter, the MACS design provided owners with a product they can take to all their new locations.
Award Winner: 2016 First Place: Hospitality / Retail presented by the International Interior Design Association
