December 21, 2025
During the winter of 2025, I visited Ikea with family.
It was a windy but warm day. We came here mainly to get some storage items to organize the stuff at home. The design at IKEA allowed us to find exactly what we were looking for quickly because of the labels.
One of the most popular places at IKEA is its restaurant, which provides good food at a reasonable price. Costco also has similar service, but they have less space and little options. IKEA provides a kind of buffet where you can pick a dish from the overhead signs and they will make it for you fresh.
After I finished the food, I asked myself: Why does IKEA have this kind of food section even though they are a furniture store? It was noted from ikeamuseum.com that it was the concept from the beginning of IKEA opening: Taking that good care of your customers was sensational in those days. For Ingvar (IKEA’s founder) it was mainly about showing his gratitude and giving something back to the people who came and shopped at IKEA. Starting from making coffee and biscuits, today, IKEA is one of the world’s biggest restaurant chains and also the biggest grocery companies. Many people come to IKEA just as much to eat as to buy furniture.
Mats Agmén who worked for IKEA for more than 40 years said: “Ingvar felt that the profit margin should be about 5% and should never exceed 10%. He was keen to ensure that any profit over 5% in the restaurants and cafés should be used to raise quality. For him and IKEA, the restaurants were never primarily about making money. We can do that on furniture and other home furnishing products. A good meal at a low price is a way of giving back to the customers. That’s an important part of the overall experience of IKEA, just like that glass of squash that Ingvar offered at the furniture showroom in Älmhult. And as already mentioned, you can sell more sofa beds to happy customers with full stomachs, and you also strengthen the Swedish link to IKEA and its brand.”
I think this win-win situation between IKEA and their customers reflects their slogan “The Wonderful Everyday”.
What appears simple on the surface often reveals thoughtful consideration beneath.
Reference:
www.ikeamuseum.com
