Eating At IKEA Will Never Be The Same

From ELLE DECOR

Sure, IKEA is technically a home furnishings company, but let's face it, the best part of visiting one of those blue and yellow stores is getting to indulge in some delicious Swedish food. (Especially the meatballs. Those glorious, glorious meatballs.)

IKEA knows how much we all love its food court, and after introducing new vegetarian and chicken varieties of their signature dish last year, the company is taking steps to make the in-store dining experience even better.

According to the Washington Post, all 41 of IKEA's American stores will be getting complete food court makeovers in the next few months. Specifically, they'll be transforming the sparse eating areas into three distinct dining zones that will cater to the stores' various visitors.

One zone will be geared toward fast diners, and will include high tables and barstools. The second zone will attract families with its kid-friendly activities and adjoining dining area for parents.

The third zone - and the only one with a specific name, so far - will be known as the "Fika." The Washington Post reports that in Swedish, Fika roughly translates to a coffee break with socializing, so this area of the food court will be reserved for guests looking for a traditional coffee house experience. (Think: comfy chairs, hot coffee and good conversation.)

The announcement shouldn't come as too much of a surprise though, considering that IKEA's food sales increased by more than 8 percent last year, prompting the company's U.S. president, Lars Petersson, to declare that "Ikea food is becoming a core business."

Once the food court makeovers are squared away, the Swedish furniture powerhouse can always go back to inventing the meatball of the future.

h/t: Tech Insider