I did an extensive market survey of cafes operating in and around Ajmer (Rajasthan, India). I clicked pictures of spaces and nearly six cafes were undertaken under my market survey project. I have created collages of six cafes and undertook a critical study of these.

2. I did an extensive market survey of cafes operating in and
around Ajmer. I clicked pictures of spaces and nearly six cafes
were undertaken under my market survey project. These cafes
were studied on the basis of six points that I have studied, which
are, Entrances (visibility and presentation), Seating
Arrangement, Ambience, Cleanliness, Aroma, and, lastly, Outside
View.
I have created collages of six cafes presented in the next few
pages and undertook a critical study of these cafes.

3. » Tea Connect – The Tea Lounge,Ajmer
» Crazy Tales – Café And Fine Dine, Ajmer
» Vapor Café And Restaurant, Ajmer
» Chaska Restro And Lounge
» Khokha, - The Lounge, Ajmer
» Tapri – The Tea House
The aforementioned cafes were studied closely to answer the
questions revolving around café designing, which include what
elements and principles are used during the same and how the
ambience & feel of an ideal coffee shop should be like.

4. Tea Connect – The Tea Lounge
(Ajmer)
1

5. It was in 2014 that Tea Connect was set up in Jaipur. Eventually, they
inaugurated their branch in Dubai and Ajmer by 2016, instantly becoming
one of the most renowned hangout spot for families and the youth alike.
With its extravagant yet simplistic interiors, its ambience is greatly
appreciated and is one of the many factors that have contributed to it’s
abrupt success. The combination of omni and accent lights creates a unique
look and feel of the café that remains unmatched throughout the city.
Comfortable seating, numerous doodles and the mostly-wooden-furniture
generates the typical cosy feel of a good café.
Tea Connect attracts customers looking for a good meal with reasonable
prices upon which discounts are offered regularly. The food quality remains
consistent through the entire Menu which delivers delicacies of multiple
cuisines-- Indian, Chinese and Italian to name a few.
It furnishes Indoor Games like Chess, Ludo and Carom in addition to Books
of various genres, which further makes it a thrilling spot to visit frequently.
It is also a prominent spot for holding functions of all sorts, since the deals
provided to book the café or rooftop, from where one can observe the hustle
and bustle of the streets of Ajmer, offer fair prices.
Furthermore, its appealing aroma and great cleanliness throughout the
rooftop and main café area has been significant to its continued success.

6. Way Through Staircase
Main Entrance
Secondary Entrance
(For Staff) Way To Rooftop
1 ENTRANCE

7. Rooftop Seating
2 SEATING

8. 3 AMBIENCE

9. • One of the best
ambiences
• Prime location
• Good food quality
• Availability of books
and games to keep
customers engaged.
• Comfortable seating
• Separate entrances
for customer and
staff.
• Reading area should be
located in a more
secluded spot.
• Service is extremely
slow.
• Though the overall
ambience is good, there
should be provisions for
shade during the summer
in the rooftop.
• Since Tea Connect is
already well-known for its
good service and food that
caters to both the adult and
young population, it will run
smoothly in the long run
with its great ambience. It
could also inaugurate
braches in other areas and
will run just as efficiently.
• Up and coming cafes
in Ajmer can pose a
serious threat to its
hype and may lead to
a decrease in the
number of customers.

10. Crazy Tales – Café And Fine
Dine (Ajmer)
2

11. Crazy Tales is located on the rooftop of a three-storey building that is
situated in one of the busiest commercial areas of Ajmer. A lift facility has
been provided along with a staircase that leads to the café. Upon entering
the café, one’s attention is directed to the distinct view of the Ana Sagar
lake, which is a popular tourist and local attraction. Bar stools have been
placed against a wall lined by plants that allows customers to relish in the
cool gusts of winds which blow across the day to escape the scalding heat
of Ajmer.
One of the most, if not the most, appealing features of Crazy Tales is the
impressive art that covers the café’s walls, attributing to its appreciable
ambience. It generates a serene mood, which is definitely one of the many
reasons why its ambience is appreciated.
Alike most cafes surveyed, Crazy Tales also offers a wide range of cuisines.
Even though the food is presented artistically well, the amount served feels
lacking compared to the prices, which explains why it’s not a go-to choice
for most despite of the fact that the food quality is good.
The ambience, however, is great, considering how comfortable the plush
couches and the wooden furniture feels. The lighting is adequate during
both night time and daylight hours.
The place did not seem inviting due to a few drawbacks (see: weaknesses)
mentioned in the SWOT Analysis.

12. 1 ROADSIDEVIEW
2ENTRANCE

13. Indoor Seating
Outdoor Seating
3 SEATING
4AMBIENCE
Selfie Point

14. • Decent ambience
• Located in a busy
commercial area
• View of Ana Sagar
Lake
• Comfortable seating
arrangement
• Good food with
attractive presentation
• Cleanliness was
maintained
• View from the inner
sitting area was not
appealing
• No separate entrances
were present
• Absence of aroma
• High prices for little
quantity served
• Improvement in the areas of
ambience and lighting with
discounts being offered
regularly would attract
customers.
• Separate entrances for staff
and customers with
tempting aroma should be
present.
• Books and other activities
can also be included.
• With increasing
competition, Crazy
Tales may be
coerced to shut
down due to lack of
appeal and
originality in
ambience

15. Vapor – Café And Restaurant
(Ajmer)
3

16. Vapor is yet another rooftop-café-restaurant for people looking for a good meal and fair
ambience. It is divided into two sections, one which is covered and the other is an open
area. The café is situated in the largest mall of Ajmer which is a popular hub for shopping
and watching movies. It does not an inviting entrance, per say, since one has to walk past
the food court of the mall. On entering the café, the kitchen is sighted, which does not
serve as an appealing view that entices the customers. Due to the blatant lack of aroma,
one would expect the entrance to be pleasing, which was not the case.
The café has an outdoorsy theme, with fake grass covering the vast ground and fake
plants placed atop the tables imaginatively, which, however, was not the best idea since it
hindered face-to-face conversations.
Other than the basic café seating, three lounge-like areas were the main attraction, since
they constituted plush U-shaped couches with light streaming through the glass railings,
from which a view of the entire area could be observed. A distinctive feature was that of
sprinklers adjusted on top of these areas, which continually sprinkled water for a
pleasant feel. A separate dance area which is illuminated also allowed it to be a prime
spot for parties and functions.
The lighting was good, to simply put it, due to its location on the rooftop. On the contrary,
it was observed that the covered lounge area, which had its separate billing counter and
entrance, had extremely dim and poor lighting.
As mentioned previously, the food quality along with its service was good with
reasonable prices.
One of the most imperative drawbacks was that of the location of the open kitchen, where
the staff could be sighted working and this was an unpleasant sight.

17. 1 AMBIENCE
2SEATING

18. • Ideal location
• Decent ambience
• Good outside view
from outer area
• Rational prices for
good food quality.
• Quick and efficient
service
• Cleanliness was
maintained in both
areas
• Adequate lighting in
outer café area.
• Very poor lighting in
covered café area
• Open kitchen located
near sitting area
• Disconcerting entrance
• If the lighting is improved
along with change in design
so as to not hinder
conversations, more
customers would want to
visit.
• Located next to the
main café with a
smaller café on the
lower floor so that
increases
competition.
• A lot of food stalls and
cheaper restaurants
are situated around
the mall.

19. Chaska Restro And Lounge
(Ajmer)
4

20. Chaska is situated in a decent location and is fairly popular. A staircase leads to its
entrance which does not set it apart from the rest of the cafes across Ajmer
because it is extremely common.
Chaska occupies three stories, on which the lounge, café and rooftop are situated
successively.
The interior of the café is not based off of a single theme, with a fusion of Western
and Indian elements that does not look appealing. The artwork also follows a
similar trend. The excessive use of fake plants and grass throughout the area does
not generate the intended serene vibe of nature and seems over-the-top, with it
being used on the doors, walls and the staircase to the rooftop.
The rooftop looked unorganised and poorly maintained due to the dust smeared
on the couches and the chairs that were haphazardly placed. Hence, the random
use of elements resulted in poor ambience.
The seating was not comfortable and it caused inconvenience to customers.
Chaska has a separate lounge area with private lounges that have U-Shaped
couches and vibrant artwork, contrary to the rest of the area. These lounges
generated an eerie feel due to which one wouldn’t be keen to visit. The lighting on
all levels was adequate with an exception in the lounge area where it was very dull
and dim.
Food quality is fairly good and could be the only reason why it is still running, with
reasonable prices and service.
The aroma was not as prominent, almost absent. It does not stand out from the rest
of the competitors and could not be as successful in the long run.

21. Roadside View Lounge Rooftop
Rooftop Seating
1 ENTRANCE
2SEATING

22. 3INTERIOR

23. 4AMBIENCE

24. • Decent location
• The lounge, café and
rooftop café are
situated on different
storeys.
• Good food with
reasonable prices
• Adequate lighting
and cleanliness in
café
• Poor ambience
• No fixed theme of the
café
• Dim lighting in lounge
area
• No aroma
• Poor hygiene in the
rooftop area
• Unorganized seating
• Extremely
uncomfortable seating
• The ambience feels lacking
so improvement in this field
with incorporation of a
proper theme can attract
customers.
• Proper hygiene and lighting
should be maintained in all
areas.
• It can thrive as a good café
if efforts are made to
improve various aspects
mentioned in its
weaknesses.
• Chaska faces
competition from
its rivals.
• Roadside stalls
close to Chaska
which serve food
in fair quality
could be one of its
threats, because
of its location.
• Weaknesses
could also serve
as a threat

25. Khokha – The Lounge
(Ajmer)
5

26. Located in a prime and in one of the busiest locations of the area, Khokha was primarily
the most visited café in the city but its hype dimmed in the recent years. The café is built
underground which has been one of the reasons why it does not attract customers as
much despite a good location.Teens and Young Adults are the main customers here.
The entrance to Khokha is not innovative but is just a staircase leading down to the door.
The area has been segregated into three different areas, the first one is where tables are
placed right in front of the main door through which customers enter. This area has both
bar stools and chairs. The other area is located adjacent to the other one and has a wall
separating them. This area, again, has muddis, chairs and bar stools. The third area serves
as a private lounge with couches placed against the wall and also has a projector, and
hence is often booked for parties. The separate entrance for the staff is also located here.
Due to this seating arrangement, the place looks unorganized because of which the
ambience is adversely affected. Adding on to the list of reasons behind poor ambience
is poor lighting and unoriginal setting. The underground construction has contributed to
the former while the latter is due to the slightly offensive quotes framed on the walls and
artwork with no significant innovation when compared to the main competitors.
The food here acts as a saving grace. It is presented well and the café has a metallic
angel-figured bell to call for a waiter, which is one of the two distinct and interesting
feature, the other one being that bills are provided in a small hand-woven basket and the
payment has to be made in the same.
The good-quality food has a slightly higher price than desired and because of
inconsistent serving times, the place has been dormant.

27. 1 ENTRANCE
3SEATING

28. 3 AMBIENCE

29. • Located in a prime
and busy area
• Separate entrances
• Facility of projector
• Cheap bookings for
holding parties or
functions.
• Good food quality.
• Poor ambience
• Unappealing entrance
• Higher prices than desired
• Underground construction
that allows no ventilation
and proper lighting
• Especially dim lighting in
lounge area
• Inconsistent serving times
• Derogatory framed quotes
• No original artwork and
setting
• Due to its location in a prime
area, Khokha has potential to
compete with its competitors
effectively if it offers some
originality to its customers and
renovates the café to create
proper ambience and lighting.
A family-friendly environment
would also assist in serving the
adult population and not just
the youth.
• Khokha does not
have anything that
sets it apart from its
rivals that are doing
fairly well . Hence,
there is cut-throat
competition in which
the café does not
stand a chance in
overcoming with all
the weaknesses.

30. Tapri – The Tea House
(Jaipur)
6

31. With its multiple branches in Jaipur, all located in prime locations, Tapri has become a
renowned teahouse and café across the large city. A lot of factors including perfect
outside view, good food, enticing aroma, wide range of products for sale etc. have
contributed to its exemplary popularity.
The look outside the café appeals to everyone and upon entering, a staircase with a
network of frames on the adjacent wall is sighted. Next to the staircase lies the entrance
for the café, where one can find a P.O.S that sells a wide range of products, ranging from
branded accessories to tea-related products along with originally crafted merchandise.
The ambience of Tapri is an idealistic and one that every café should aim for. The rustic
look blends in naturally with the stone and wooden work and shades of brown are
observed in accordance with the theme. The shelves that served as partitions for
different section were ladened with intricately designed pots and materials alike.
An entirely separate reading zone with a wide collection of books had been designed
accordingly, with comfortable seating for a tranquil experience. The lighting was also
fitting across the café and rooftop.
The rooftop was unique in its own sense, it had seating of various types to choose from
and an artistic marquee with Tapri’s logo. The perfect view, however, is what sets it apart
from all cafes surveyed. With lush greenery, the scene observed from the rooftop was a
sight to behold and could be a reason that attributed to its wide success
Food quality was great with slightly higher prices than reasonable but the ambience was
worth the money spent. One of its many unique features also include a wall that displays
its history along with quotes.
It wouldn’t come as a surprise if Tapri’s success grows manifold in the years to come.

32. 1 ENTRANCE
2P.O.S.

33. Indoor Seating
3 SEATING

34. Outdoor Seating
4 AMBIENCE

35. 5 OUTSIDEVIEW

36. • Ideal location of all
branches
• Appealing main entrance
• Laudable ambience
• P.O.S with original
merchandise
• Perfect view
• Enticing aroma
• Good food quality
• Attractive marquee
• Lighting is appreciable
• Quick service
• Separate lounge and
reading sections.
• No significant
weaknesses except
high price.
• Tapri has the potential to
become one of the most
renowned cafes nationwide
by inaugurating its braches
across India.
• Tapri’s competitors
pose no serious threat
to the café since it is
popular for its food
and ambience.

37. THANK YOU
BHAGYASHRI SIMPSON
2ndYear Commercial Design Diploma, NSQF Level 6 (NSDC)
Dezyne E’Cole College, Ajmer
www.dezyneecole.com