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Types of Restaurant Furniture

Any restaurant with a dining room or bar is going to need restaurant furniture to keep guests comfortable during their visit. With so many options available, choosing restaurant furniture can be difficult, but understanding your establishment's layout can help you know what pieces to look for. Below, we'll go over the different styles of tables and chairs for restaurants, including outdoor furniture, to help you determine the commercial furniture that would be best for your restaurant, bar, or other foodservice business.

Choosing Tables & Chairs for Restaurants

Every foodservice and beverage business must balance the cost of providing the best possible experience to each customer with providing that experience to enough paying customers to make a profit. In theory, the more tables and chairs you fit in your dining room means you can potentially make more money; however, crowding people into your dining room or bar can make for an unpleasant experience. It's important to establish a balance between comfort and profitability in your dining room, bar, or outdoor seating area.

The size of your front-of-house area limits the total guest capacity, but other factors can also cut into available space. You'll need enough space between tables for your servers to easily move between them, and you may want to make sure you have enough space to comply with ADA requirements for accessibility. Additionally, the size of the meal you serve may take more or less room per person at a table. For more information on how your furniture can influence revenue, check out or article on how restaurant furniture can impact sales.

Restaurant Tables: Shapes & Materials

Tables come in several shapes and sizes, and most guests expect to be provided with a few options. Restaurants usually offer tables that seat two, four, or six people comfortably, but this can be limited by space. Small cafes won't typically have six-person tables because they would take up too much room, but spacious dining rooms can afford to set aside space for larger parties. Depending on the dimensions you choose, employees can push multiple tables together to accommodate larger parties.

Restaurant tables and accompanying bases are available in pre-determined combinations or sold separately. Purchasing the components separately gives you the option to substitute either piece as needed or to keep additional pieces in storage for easy replacement. However, furniture sets simplify the decision-making process and may be cheaper overall.

Table Shapes

Round table

Round tabletops are great for creating an intimate atmosphere for your patrons, but they are less versatile than square-edged tables as they cannot easily be combined or placed against a wall.

Square table

Square tabletops facilitate conversations between guests but won't provide room for as many people as rectangular options can. They usually seat two to four customers.

Rectangular table 2

Rectangular tabletops typically seat the most customers. However, those sitting at the same table are further apart from each other, making it difficult for large groups to interact.

Tabletop Materials

Commercial tabletops are often made of laminate, resin, stone, and wood, and are usually finished to have a smooth surface for cleaning. Solid wood and stone tabletops usually present as the highest quality while laminate and melamine are better for casual restaurants.

Restaurant Seating: Bar Stools, Booths, and Chairs

Bar stool

Commercial bar stools are available with metal and wooden frames in a variety of finishes to fit your bar or restaurant's decor. The seat can have a back or only a bottom and may be stationary or set up to swivel. Most bar stools have vinyl, metal, or wooden seats, all of which are easy to wipe clean. Some uncommon options, such as wicker and mesh seats, can fit well with some decor but are harder to clean. Bar stool seats and bases are available separately to help you create a unique look for your dining room or bar. These are best used at bar counter areas or with tall pub and bar tables.

Restaurant chair

Restaurant chairs are the most common style of restaurant seating. They usually have metal or wooden frames and might have vinyl, wooden, or plastic seats that are easy and quick to clean. High-volume restaurants may want to consider stackable chairs, which can be stored out of the way when not in use. These can be used at standard tables or in conjunction with an end booth or a set of booths that run along a wall where you only want a booth on one side of the table.

Restaurant booth

Booths and benches are common options in restaurants where space is at a premium. Booths can fit families more easily as children can squeeze in next to their parents rather than requiring the same space as an adult. Restaurant booths are available in a wide range of colors and can often be customized with the fabric of your choice. Vinyl is a common choice on booth seats and backs due to how easy it is to clean. Booths and benches can be configured back-to-back along a wall, or you can have a series of seats running lengthwise along the wall with tables and chairs positioned in front of them. Booths also create an a more private environment for groups of people, especially in a crowded dining room.

Choosing Commercial Patio Furniture

Commercial patio furniture is designed to withstand heavy rain, sun, and wind. Outdoor tables are available with laminate, metal, stone, or wood tops – with some metal tables featuring holes that drain liquids. Some tables have holes in the center to accommodate patio umbrellas, which can enhance the comfort of your guests on sunny days.

Benches, chairs, and bar stools all come in designs that are suitable for a patio. Outdoor benches give customers a place to sit while waiting for an available table and can be made of solid metal, wooden slats, or metal mesh. These are available with and without a back, while some come with cushions for added comfort. Outdoor chairs are made of metal, wicker, plastic, and wood. Folding and stacking chairs are great for restaurants that may need to store outdoor furniture in the off season. Outdoor bar stools are available in the same materials as chairs and can be purchased with or without backs.

Patio furniture set

patio umbrella

patio chairs

outdoor bar stool

Specialty Commercial Furniture

Once you've chosen the best restaurant furniture for your establishment, you should consider some additional specialty pieces to make your dining room as comfortable and inviting as possible.

  • Commercial coat racks provide a space for storing guests' coats, which saves space at your tables. Choose from floor- or wall-mounted options to place your coat racks in the most convenient position. Reusable and disposable coat check tickets are also available to ensure outerwear gets returned to the correct person.
  • Tray stands are available to make serving large groups easier. These can be lightweight models that fold for carrying and storage or units that are mounted on casters for effortless transportation.
  • Crowd control barriers provide an efficient way to handle large crowds of people and create orderly lines.
  • Hostess stands can be stationary or on casters and usually have a writing surface on top and shelves below for storing menus and cutlery. Some models also have drawers for storing items.