Your restaurant’s seating plan is a significant component of your establishment’s concept and sets the scene for your diners. It becomes the mainstay of your guests’ dining experience and is also something that sets you apart from your competitors. However, organising where your chairs and tables are going to go is not the only thing a restaurant needs to focus on. Yes, aesthetics is important, but layout and maximisation of space and efficiency is equally important.
Restaurant seating layouts also need to meet government regulations while accommodating the proper capacity. There are many factors that need to be carefully considered before planning your layout. You don’t want to set up only to be shut down. And this is something you need to plan correctly, well before you open or renovate your space. Here are some of the aspects that you need to focus on to get the dining layout in your restaurant right:
1. Business Regulations and Restaurant Seating Capacity
Before considering any potential restaurant dining room plans, you need to decide whether you’ll be using multiple or a single room and allocate all the available space accordingly. Some aspects to focus on:
- There could be local code requirements you need to follow to determine the aisle width as well as square-footage you’d need per guest. Contact your local council and fire department to inquire about these specifications.
- The number of exits and their size would influence these specifications.
- Once you have carefully reviewed all regulations, decide the square footage you need to allot per guest.
- The amount of space you have in the seating layout would determine how comfortable your guests would be.
- Also, you would have to maintain the appropriate passage areas between chairs and tables. Check the local DDA guidelines for accommodating mobility devices. In most cases, you would need to keep the width of at least 36” for the aisles.
- Consider your establishment’s needs. If you own a fine dining restaurant, you would need sufficient space to accommodate meal carts for providing tableside service.
- If you are a family-style restaurant, you might use smaller carts for bussing. Both of these need adequate space to manoeuvre around your dining room effortlessly.
- It’s crucial to maintain flexibility and be ready to make plan adjustments. You might realise what works in your dining room design blueprints might not be very comfortable in the actual setting.
2. Choosing The Right Furniture
As you consider the various types of furniture, reflect on your establishment’s goals and long-term plans. These are some points to consider:
- The furniture you select depends on the type of restaurant you are operating, whether it’s casual dining establishment or fine dining
- Guests at a fine dining restaurant expect a higher quality dining experience, which covers everything from the food to the furniture.
- Regardless of the atmosphere in your restaurant, never sacrifice quality. Your furniture represents a significant investment, so always buy commercial-grade furniture. The price of restaurant furniture is higher compared to residential furniture because it is built to endure everyday wear and tear and last for many years.
- Also, remember the hygiene factor. You want to be able to clean your furniture as quickly and efficiently as possible. Buy chairs, tables and booth seating furniture that can be wiped down easily and cleaned without too much hassle. Consider werzalit material tabletops. Laminate and granite are other suitable options. For furnished chairs, choose fabrics that are colourfast and stain-resistant. Make sure that the fabric patterns and materials you select complement your brand, the styling and décor of your restaurant.
3. Shape of the Furniture
Furniture shape can have an impact on your customers’ dining experience. Here are some pointers on which shape suits best for your space:
- Rectangular and square-shaped tables are space-savers, while round tables are a great way to encourage conversation.
- If you operate a casual or fast food restaurant or a cafeteria, you’d need to consider tray size. The tables would need to be large enough to accommodate the number of trays depending on the seating capacity.
- Consider including two-person tables that are ideal for dining couples. It’s also a great way to prevent having two empty seats at a 4-seater booth or table.
- Also, these 2-seater tables can be quickly moved and slid into position alongside another table or even at the end of a booth when you need to accommodate larger parties.
4. The Furniture Styling
When planning dining room design ideas and layouts, consider different furniture placement styles- Portable and Anchored. The latter refers to furniture attached to the floor or wall, like booths. Portable tables and chairs/or floating furniture can be placed anywhere in the dining room.
These types of seats can be set away from walls & other structures, and you can also place them in the middle of the dining room. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to both these styles. In most cases, the best option is to adopt a balanced approach and include small and large tables as well as booths.
5. Taking a Holistic Approach to Restaurant Design
Before opening your restaurant, take the time to sit in every area and every seat in the dining room. Try to think about what the potential customer complaints could be.
As you try various seats, you might notice that some have inadequate lighting, maybe there is a draft from a door in some areas or direct view to the serving and kitchen areas. If you notice any of these or any other issues, fix them before opening up your restaurant to guests. The layout, ambience and comfort levels of your restaurant have a crucial role to play in the experience you provide your guests.
For high-quality Werzalit, wood and marble table topped restaurant furniture, bar stools, and an array of restaurant seating options, call Have A Seat at 1300 852 793. You can also contact us using this online form. Our team is here to guide your choices so that you have the types of restaurant furniture you need that will also fit into your budget.
Thanks for reading,
Have a Seat
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