Restaurant Furniture Blog

When determining your restaurant furniture layout there are several things to consider. For example, did you know there is an industry standard for table room per diner? There is and it is 300 square inches per diner. However, nothing is ever that cut and dried, particularly when there are other factors involved.

Depending on your restaurant, you may need to allow more table room for extra cutlery, plates, or, in the case of some specialist restaurants, shared platters. As a restaurant owner or manager, you need to be able to seat as many diners as possible without appearing to have a crowded room.

The second consideration when designing your restaurant furniture layout is service space. Your wait staff need to be able to gain easy access to each table and each diner. If your restaurant is of the buffet style, you will need to provide adequate space for diners to move to and from the buffet.

With those considerations in mind, your starting point should be what is accepted as standard such as the following:

• Diagonal seating saves floor space,
• Allow 42″ between squared tables for chairs back to back - this leaves 6″ to push out,
• Allow 60″ between squared tables for chairs back to back leaves 26″ for service,
• Allow 54″ between round tables service space. Allow extra for main traffic aisles,
• Allow 24″ between corners of diagonal tables for customer access - no aisle
• Allow 30″ between corners of diagonal tables for customer access - narrow aisle
• Where space is limited, booths require only 8 sq. ft. per person, including aisle allowance

If you incorporate a range of table sizes you can cater for a variety of group sizes. With careful planning, your restaurant furniture layout should provide for a maximum number of diners with least discomfort to both the diners and your wait staff. Of course, your could also check out a restaurant furniture design center for sample layout ideas.