Restaurant Furniture Blog

Sometimes, when it comes to designing and choosing the décor for a restaurant, less is more. Minimalistic design choices say “our food is what matters most.” A clean, utilitarian layout helps the diner focus on what they are eating, and not on the artwork, intricately folded napkins or mirrored walls they can watch themselves eat in.

Dining rooms with exposed brick walls and ceiling beams, wood accents, and basic lighting fixtures give off a cool, casual vibe while still being interesting. If your restaurant space is lacking in natural light, going utilitarian is a good way to say “We may not have sweeping city views, but that’s not what matters here.” If your dining space is limited, a down-to-earth kind of décor keeps your diner from being overwhelmed with design elements.

The tricky part is finding the line between minimalistic and coming across as a storage closet. Just like it’s easy to use to get caught up and over-decorate your restaurant with velvet paintings and gilded mirrors, it’s also possible to swing too far the other way and under-decorate in an attempt to be utilitarian.

The key to creating a successful, minimalistic approach to decorating a diner room is to use quality furniture. Sure, metal folding chairs may be cheap and match the exposed pipes, but they take away from the diner’s experience and send out the message that your restaurant is either unfinished or you’re not willing to invest in quality pieces. Hardwood chairs can still match the utilitarian vibe, but are a better choice in the long run (both for design and usage). Chrome chairs are a step up from the metal folding chair, but can give you the metal accents you were looking for. Stainless steel chairs add an industrial vide to your restaurant, but provide customers with enough support for a long dining experience.

If you decide to adopt a down-to-earth approach when it comes to decorating your space, take the time and figure out exactly what you want to play up and what you want to minimize. It still is possible to over-decorate (probably don’t need every pipe, brick wall and light fixture to be exposed) even if you don’t mean to.

As the weather gets warmer, people are looking to spend as much time as possible outdoors. After being cooped up all winter and stuck in an office building every day, dining al fresco can be the best way to get some time outside (as well as cutting out the effort of cooking at home!) Is your restaurant patio ready for summertime? Get your umbrellas ready!

When given the option, many diners will select to eat outside. And while you should do your best to accommodate them, stuffing your diners onto a small patio like sardines in a can isn’t going to make anybody happy. You have to be smart about the amount of seating you try to fit in on your patio. There needs to be room for your guests to relax, as well as room for your servers to maneuver between tables.

Just because your diners want to eat outside, that doesn’t mean they want to be eating off a warped picnic table. If your patio furniture is falling apart, it’s time to invest in some new supplies! If you don’t want to worry about taking in your furniture every night, metal tables and chairs can stand up to the elements.

Keep in mind that most woods will change color after a long exposure to direct sunlight. Some get darker while others lighten. Adding umbrellas to your patio can help protect both your furniture and your guests from the summer sun.

Why not take your patio to the next level and incorporate trestles or hanging plants to lend some atmosphere? Your outside patio should be an extension of your inside dining room. The two need to work together in terms of design, otherwise you are sending mixed messages.

There is nothing more frustrating than being out to dinner and not being able to eat. Sometimes just getting into your chair can be a bit of a challenge, especially when table and chairs are crammed into a small dining space. Once you do manage to work your way into a chair, you’re uncomfortably aware of just how little space you have to move. Every forkful has to be carefully lifted so as to not elbow the table next to do. And getting out of your chair means accidentally squishing the person behind you into their table. In short, there is no space.

Obviously you want to get as many diners into your restaurant as possible, because it’s good business to serve more people. But you shouldn’t sacrifice your patrons’ comfort for a few extra tables. When people go out to eat, they are looking for a pleasant experience. No one wants to fight for room just to eat.

The layout of your tables and chairs is also going to directly affect your wait staff. If they have a hard time maneuvering between tables, chances are they’ll drop things more frequently. Carrying a hot plate or heavy tray is difficult enough without having to carve a path through the dining room.

You need to organize your dining room in such a way that you maximize your floor space, give your diners room to eat and your servers room to work. Crowded restaurants are a good thing, cramped restaurants are not.

The table may be one of most important, and least considered, piece of equipment in the food service industry. After all, unless it’s a cocktail party, most people prefer to eat off a table. Even in cultures where sitting on cushions instead of chairs is the norm, they still eat of a table, albeit a much lower one than you’ll likely need for your restaurant. Choosing the right table design is actually a very important thing when it comes to designing your restaurant.

Obviously the first thing to decide is what kind of material you want your tables to be made out of. Your best options are wood and metal. But if wood, what kind? Do you want to put a gloss finish on it or leave it unfinished? If you’re looking for patio furniture, you’ll want a wood that can withstand the elements and last more than a few summers. Some wood changes colors as it ages, is that going to affect your overall design plan?

You also need to decide what kind of design you want your table to have. Will it be ornate or simple? Elegant or modern? The legs/base of your table can add or detract from the surrounding décor. You want to make sure your table looks like it belongs in your restaurant. If you’re going to be covering up the table with tablecloths, do you need to bother? Should you get a glass tabletop to protect the wood underneath? It all depends on your restaurant.

It may seem redundant to mention, but your tables need to be at an appropriate height for your chairs. Just because the low lying table fits into your overall vibe, are your diners going to be balancing over their plates to eat? Above all else you want your guests to be comfortable.

Not every restaurant has the room for dozens of four person tables, plus walls full of booths, plus a full bar and seating area and still has adequate room for waiters and patrons alike to easily maneuver. The key to a great restaurant layout is working with the space you have and finding unique ways to optimize the available area.

If you have limited space, why not pull out the fixed booths and tables and opt for a seating arrangement that can change based on the size of a dinner party or how crowded the restaurant is getting. Being able to rearrange the floor layout based on the night’s needs makes it easier to maximize the space without overcrowding.

If you have an open kitchen, why not expand the counter space and turn it into a front-row dining table for your guests? They’ll get to watch the chefs up close and personal and you take advantage of a seating area you didn’t know you had.

If you’re using folding chairs, why not carve out a storage space in the walls where they can be stored and reached when needed? It can give a cool, industrial vibe to the space and keep your floor area less cluttered.

If you run a restaurant with limited floor space, see if it’s possible to cut down the amount of space used for the waiting area. Swap out the big couch for a loveseat or bench to get a little extra room. Encourage your guests to head to the bar area while they’re waiting for a table to open up.
Just because you have limited space to work in, it doesn’t mean the restaurant needs to feel cramped or crowded. Smaller locations provide the chance to create a more intimate vibe, get creative with the seating arrangements and décor and provide a unique dining experience for your guests.

As the weather gets warmer, diners flock to restaurants that offer patio dining space. The chance to enjoy a great meal under the warming sun, feeling the fresh breeze play with the table cloth is a nice reprieve from the months spent indoors, not daring to take your coat off if you get seated too close to the front door. Plenty of customers are willing to put up with less-than-comfortable furniture in order to enjoy a meal outdoors. But why subject your patrons to wooden benches that are bound to leave a few splinters as mementos.

Just like inside your restaurant, you should be taking customer comfort into account when choosing your patio furniture and designing the layout of your outdoor eating space. Just because everyone wants to eat outdoors, that doesn’t mean you have to space to accommodate. Squeezing in a few extra tables may get more people outside, but you’re sacrificing comfort and ease of movement in the process. Both your wait staff and patrons are now forced to traverse shrinking floor space and bump elbows with the table next to them.

Of course patio furniture has to be durable, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be comfortable. If you’re willing to allow for a little extra cleanup time, why not opt for quality wooden chairs with comfy cushions. You can’t leave them out in the rain all night, so make sure you have the appropriate storage space. You don’t need to revert to busted down picnic tables just because you have a patio.

Patio spaces also require some kind of awning or umbrella for the tables. Just because people want to sit outside, they don’t necessarily want the July sun beating down on the back of their neck and their food while they eat.

Your restaurant is really an extension of yourself. Most people don’t want to open a restaurant if they aren’t truly passionate about food and your restaurant is a direct reflection of that passion. Chances are you’ve crafted a menu around what you like to cook and eat. Whether that is classic French cuisine or fried chicken and dumplings like mom used to make, your restaurant menu is a part of you and your history.

Your restaurant design also needs to be an accurate reflection of who you are as a chef, a business owner and a person. Don’t try to be something you are not because you think that is what your diners want. Diners know when a restaurant is proud of the food they put out. Let your décor and design add to that.

For instance, if you want your restaurant to be the best burger joint in town, why would you try to make your restaurant look like an upscale steak house? That’s not who you are. Be proud to be a burger joint. Your diners will respect your dedication to the food you love.

Don’t try to turn your restaurant into something it’s not to fall in line with current dining trends. If you’re not comfortable serving Indian food, don’t go changing your menu and décor just because that’s a popular choice with diners in your area. It’s obvious when a restaurant is trying to be something they are not and it takes away from the overall dining experience

When it comes to running a restaurant, you need to have a clear picture of who you are and what kind of restaurant to run. Stick to your guns and be proud of what you are.

More often than not, booths get classified as the seating of choice for diners and cafes. They are more casual than the expensive wooden chairs of fine dining establishments, more comfortable that industrial metal chairs of urban eateries, and generally easier to maintain and clean. But booths don’t just have to be for family friendly restaurants or highway chains. The right booth can create a very intimate setting for your diners and make your restaurant something unique.

The high-back design of booths allows you to create a mini, private dining room for your guests. It shields them from the noise of the rest of the restaurant, and keeps external distractions to a minimum. Both of these things are very important for creating that intimate experience. Corner booths can even be enclosed with cloth hangings, truly separating the diners from the restaurant.

Booths don’t have to be made of the cheap vinyl we all associate with a fast-food restaurant. They can be made of quality wood and leather, lending an elegant and expensive vibe to the booth. They can also be upholstered to match the rest of the restaurant’s décor.

You can also opt to include two person booths as opposed to the traditional four person booth. This smaller booth style is perfect for couples looking for a romantic night out. You also save a little floor space and the four person booth for a four person party.

Even the best organized restaurants have their off nights. You might be down a cook or wait staff, reservations are cancelling last minute or a 10 person party walks in and expects to be seated right away. It happens to every restaurant once in a while, and there is little more than most restaurants can do but push through the night and hope the next day is better. But if you are seeing more disorganized nights that you think you should be having, maybe your restaurant layout is the culprit.

It could be as simple as the fact that the furniture layout doesn’t allow for an easy flow of servers and patrons. Awkwardly places tables or booths take up floor space that would be better used to move people about the restaurant. Partitions and walls can segregate sections from each other, keeping the wait staff removed from backup. If something happens and they need extra help, will it come quickly? Will anyone notice?

Restaurants that are lucky enough to have a large turnover need to keep the flow of patrons moving in and out at the same pace. Doesn’t your restaurant layout allow for patrons to get in and out of the dining area (or even the front door) without fighting for walking space? It’s understandable that you want to get as many tables in as you can (more tables means more patrons means more money for the restaurant) but for every extra table and chairs you squeeze in, you are removing floor space and restricting the flow of the restaurant.

If the restaurant layout is complicated or congested, your wait staff is going to have a harder time floating in between tables. Patrons in the “awkward” spots might not get as much attention as those sitting the easily accessible tables because it’s a lot of work to move around. Don’t let a bad restaurant layout negatively impact your service.

Not so long ago, a restaurant’s bar was more of a corral for patrons waiting for a table to open up. You might have a few patrons choose the bar over a table as their after-work watering hole, but for the most part it was an in-an-out area. Now bars have found favor as a place to not only drink, but eat. And not just an appetizer, but for full-blown meals. That’s why your bar furniture needs to meet the needs of the wide variety of patrons flocking to its seats.

The bar area of a restaurant is usually one of the smaller sections, so furniture needs to be minimal to allow for ease movement. Four person or bigger tabletops aren’t your best bet because they take up so much floor space. Intimate two-person tables are a better idea. They take up less space and large parties tend to flock to the regular restaurant space over the bar anyway.

Your bar itself needs to be appealing enough that diners don’t feel like they are eating on the same surface that shots of tequila were poured on the night before. Dark wood hides the stains and wear and tear of daily use since you can’t cover a bar with a tablecloth like you would a regular table to hide the imperfections.

Instead of the classic three-legged bar stool, why not opt for a bar stool hybrid that offers the height of a stool, but the back support of a chair. This makes the dining experience more comfortable for diners as they don’t have to worry about accidentally tipping backwards of their sear.

The bar is more than just a watering hole. More and more diners are opting to have their cake and eat it too (or rather their steak) by having dinner and drinks at your bar. Make sure your furniture invites them to do so with ease.