Restaurant Furniture Blog

There is a real danger when considering your restaurant booths layout to try and squeeze an extra setting into the available space. This often occurs when you can fit x number of settings plus another half setting. Some restaurant owners will alter their design so that the seats are a little closer to the tables. This means you can get one extra full setting in - but at what cost?

Being able to say you can have 20 settings instead of 18 or 19 (two banks of 9 or two banks of 10) may sound good. That is potentially another four (or eight) diners at any one time. However, if they space is too cramped, your customers will vote with their feet. Instead of having 18 full settings, you could wind up with 20 empty settings.

If a gain of four extra customers is going to result in the loss of 10 customers, you don’t need to be a maths whiz to work out it isn’t worth the effort. Moving the seats one or two inches closer may not sound like a big deal, however, standard designs are there for a reason - they are the optimum - the most comfortable for diners.

Moving the seat closer, even by an inch, can make some customers feel uncomfortable. For some, just getting in and out can be a real hassle. Your restaurant booths layout should provide for a comfortable entry and exit from the booth.

Being too close can also mean their is a lack of arm space - the very space required to comfortably access the meal. There is nothing more uncomfortable than having your arm space severely limited.

Rather than trying to fill that last little space with another setting, consider other alternatives. Space is important and as I mentioned, a standard restaurant booths layout is designed to maximize the comfort of all diners. Don’t fall into the second trap if increasing the space between the seat and the table. Remember, the whole setting is fixed so your diners can move their chairs closer if need be. You could end up with a reverse of the problems already mentioned - your diners too far away from their meals to eat comfortable.

If your restaurant booths layout winds up with some extra space at one end - use it wisely. Don’t try to use it for extra seating - the extra seats could result in less diners, less income and over time, much less profit.