When eating out, the first aspect any customer looks for in a restaurant is the quality and palatability of its food, and with good reason, because what’s a good restaurant sans the good food? That said, though, furniture setup also plays an important role, because when eating a great meal in good company, sitting in comfort is something that’s a given.
But is it really so? We’re sure you’ve experienced eating out at a place where the table was too small, chairs were uncomfortable or the seating was just plain wrong at some point. That’s why Sciacca Grill felt the need to highlight the importance of why a restaurant’s furniture setup should be taken into consideration.
The Basics
The right seating sets the scene for your guests’ dining experience. Nevertheless, it’s not all about aesthetics. Seating capacity and constant furniture use are just a couple of more aspects that need to be taken into account.
Furniture Quality
Furniture is an investment; therefore, a restaurant should avoid buying non-commercial furniture. The price of commercial restaurant furniture reflects its ability to handle everyday wear and tear for years. For quality sanitation, tables, chairs, and booths that can be easily wiped down and cleaned are the ideal choice for a restaurant. As for fabric furniture, it should be stain resistant and colourfast.
Furniture Shape
Furniture shape can also affect your customers’ dining experience. While round tables encourage conversation, square or rectangular tables are space-efficient. Many venues have two-person tables – perfect for dining couples and prevent leaving two empty seats at a four-person table or booth. Plus, such small tables are perfect for sliding an addition onto another table or the end of a booth to accommodate larger parties.
Furniture Style
There are two different styles of furniture placement a restaurateur could opt for: anchored and portable. Anchored seating refers to any furniture attached to the wall or floor and booths are the most popular type of anchored seating. Such seating allows optimal leg room, are space-efficient and create a secluded dining area for patrons. On the other hand, they cannot be easily renovated and may not accommodate larger or elderly guests
Commonly referred to as “floating tables”, portable tables and chairs can be placed anywhere. These seats are typically seen in the middle of dining rooms, away from walls or other structures. The good thing about them is that they can be rearranged to accommodate large parties and are great during renovations. They can also accommodate larger and elderly guests. There are benefits to both styles; but, the best choice would be to opt for a balanced combination of booths, as well as a mixture of large and small tables.
Bonus Tip: Leave adequate space between tables
A restaurant needs to be mindful and not pack tables into its dining room. When designing the floor plan of a restaurant on paper, a restaurateur may think you can fit a certain number of tables into the dining room. However, what works on paper doesn’t work as well in reality. Granted, having plenty of seats to accommodate customers is one of the main aims of a successful restaurant, but people’s comfort should be kept at the forefront.
An aspect that is often overlooked because it’s generally taken for granted, a restaurant’s furniture setup is something that should be taken into account because ultimately it forms part of a customer’s dining experience. Fortunately, Sciacca Grill understands the value of the way furniture should be setup within an eatery.
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