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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Furniture Tips and Tricks for Restaurant Owners

When clients want to visit a restaurant there are a lot of elements that influence their decision.

The look and feel of your venue, the menu and cuisine, and your restaurant's seating are the most important factors. Patrons need a relaxing place to sit for extended meals, and the aesthetic glamour and appearance of your venue are especially important for first-time visitors.

People who are familiar with your venue and who regularly visit it due to their devotion to your brand and the quality of your meals or service are just one part of your prospective clientele. Customers can learn more about your restaurant through word-of-mouth and online reviews and pictures, or they can simply stop in if they happen to be in the area and be pleased with the look and atmosphere of your venue.

With that in mind, this guide is intended to provide some ideas and tips on how to select the best restaurant furniture for your establishment, thereby improving and enhancing your space, the brand, and the overall eating experience to attract a wide variety of clients.

Placement and organization

Our team can't stress how important it is to plan your restaurant's layout before purchasing any furniture. What is your location, and what do you hope to achieve with a restaurant in your area? Do you plan to make a large number of meals in a short amount of time or is your venue a fine dining establishment? Once you know what you want to accomplish with your restaurant the first step in the process is to create a floor plan and choose where pieces of furniture will be placed.

It is possible that you already have a pre-built restaurant space that is filled with essentials like a kitchen, bathrooms, and so on, and that you just want to update the decor and create your venue theme by purchasing restaurant furniture. It is also possible to start with a blank slate when opening or designing a restaurant, giving you the freedom to place furniture and all other elements precisely where you would like them.

This is a very important step in the process, as it can cost you a lot of time and money if you buy restaurant furniture online or in a store and then have to return it because it doesn't fit or doesn't go with the rest of your decor.

Restaurant Tables and Chairs

Our team has created a simple guide that you should take into consideration when buying restaurant tables and chairs. It goes without saying that any restaurant furniture you plan to buy needs to be commercial-grade in order to survive for years to come.

Tables

Consider your average customer, since this will dictate the best layout for your restaurant. Do you want a restaurant where people can eat alone without feeling awkward or is it more practical to have round or square table tops in your venue? 

Make space for changes! While a typical seating arrangement is sometimes the best option, the flexibility to accommodate last-minute changes is very important. The tables you purchase can be at the same height so that they can be easily stacked against one another. 

Be sure that all table tops, indoors and out, are durable and scratch-resistant. Round and square discs, as well as 'X' bases, are just a few of the many options available. You need to ensure that these are ergonomically sound for your venue. Chairs with X-shaped bases may usually be pushed up closer to a table, and disc-shaped bases are typically easier to clean around.

Chairs

The type of a restaurant chair you want to buy depends on the ambiance you want to create in your venue. Chairs made of soft leather or fabric, for instance, scream relaxation and invite lingering meals.

Metal and plastic can be just as pleasant as wood or leather if they are well-designed from an ergonomic standpoint. They might better represent your brand in general.

Are the chairs a nice fit for the tables? How well do they coordinate in terms of design, and can you pull it in close enough to eat? If you're strapped for square footage, booths or banquet seats may be your best alternative. Is there a need to stock or reposition your chairs? If that is the case, you might want to look into stackable restaurant chairs.

Buying new furniture for a restaurant is an expensive endeavor, and you probably don't want to waste money on products that you could end up disliking once they arrive. It is possible that once you receive a product, you will find that it doesn't live up to your expectations in terms of comfort or appearance based on the photos you saw on the website. It is highly recommended that you contact your restaurant furniture supplier and check the furniture quality, comfort, and overall aesthetic and also if it will fit with your restaurant decor.