Restaurants are supposed to do one thing: feed people. Walk into Shucker’s or Samba Loca, and it becomes obvious that restaurants do much more than serve food. The atmosphere and architecture of both restaurants quietly, yet effectively tell customers how to behave. Even though both restaurants were created for the same intended purpose–to feed people–they leave customers with entirely different experiences. 

Shuckers encourages customers to relax, socialize, and linger for a little while, whereas Samba Loca encourages a quieter, more structured dining experience. The difference uncovers how architecture can shape not only where and how we eat, but also how we interact with one another. 

At Shuckers, the bright lighting immediately creates an energetic or welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant is loud and rowdy, with conversations intertwining or blending together, ultimately creating a constant sense of activity.  Seating includes regular tables as well as picnic tables, reinforcing the restaurant’s casual personality or atmosphere. Nothing about Shuckers’ seems to demand silence or formality. Instead, customers appear to be comfortable talking loudly and conversing with their party and even seem to be making friends with the staff. People tend to stay for long periods even if they’ve already finished their meal. The design seems to give off the message: you are here to hang out and socialize, not just to eat.

Samba Loca sends almost the opposite message. The dim lighting and low music create a quieter environment, encouraging customers to lower their voices and focus on their meals. Tables and booths are topped with tablecloths, adding a more formal feeling than the picnic-style seating at Shuckers. The seating is separated, even though the restaurant’s limited space makes it feel kind of crowded. Even with the limited space, customers still use their “inside voices” and maintain the quieter tone established by the environment. Unlike Shuckers, where people tend to linger and socialize, patrons at Samba Loca eat their meals and leave for the evening.

With all of these differences, neither restaurant has to post a sign telling customers how to behave. The architecture does the talking. Shuckers’ bright lights, open social seating and loud atmosphere give customers ‘permission’ to be lively and stay a while longer. Samba Loca’s dim lighting, tablecloths, quieter music, and more close, but isolated seating create expectations of privacy and even restraint. 

 Might I add, these traits also might create a different intended outcome to the environment. Shuckers’ picnic tables and tables aren’t close together; they’ve spread apart because of the space inside the restaurant. Well, one might think the space will make people not feel comfortable talking to each other, but the other attributes listed do the job for it. Same with the seating arrangement at Samba Loca, the close-together seating might seem like the customers have no choice but to socialize. In reality, the customers rarely speak to one another because of the other attributes in the restaurant doing the talking.