Planning Space for Your Restaurant Dining Tables

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Floor Pan

You have found the right store front for your new eatery.
You have an idea of how you want the décor to look, and what kind of cuisine
you will serve. But, how many people can you get into your space? How do you
maximize your restaurant dining table’s space while still giving each diner
enough room to spread out a bit?


Spacing Recommendations

It is easy to find recommendations for spacing based upon
table size. 42 inches between squared tables for chairs back to back will leave
your guests 6 inches to push out. 60 inches between squared tables leaves your
guests 26 inches of push out space. Of course you need to take into
consideration aisles where your staff can move at least on one side of the
table.

The most space-efficient way to seat people is to use
booths. Since there is no need to move chairs, you need no space behind a booth
back. This dramatically reduces the square footage needed per guest. If booths
don’t suit your décor, then diagonally placing tables helps reduce the
footprint of each table and set of chairs.

Speaking of square footage, one easy way to assess how many
tables you will actually be able to place in your dining room is to go with the
following standard. Each guest will need 14 square feet for spacious dining, 12
square feet for fast casual seating or 10 square feet per guest for banquet or
close seating.


How Your Supplier Can Help

Even knowing how large your dining room is, and the basics
of square feet for furniture placement, getting the most out of your footprint
can take a bit of planning. Many times the best solution is a combination of
different restaurant tables and chairs. You may end up using square tops in the
center of the space, while placing booths along two walls. A few smaller tables
may be particularly useful if you host a lot of business people during the
lunch hour.

Once you and your supplier have discussed your goals for
using your space, several suggestions may be offered. Your budget may play a
role in the final design. Booths are cheaper per seat than tables. A fancy
restaurant may sacrifice quantity for quality. You get the idea.

Spacing restaurant dining tables properly takes a bit of
artistry as well as science. Even though you will find many such charts
available for your perusal online, your best bet will always be to make a floor
plan of your dining room, and go from there. With the right help and an open
mind you will end up with a comfortable seating arrangement that makes both
your bottom line and your guests happy.