Empty contemporary restaurant with modern wood furniture, lighting and tables set for dining

How to Choose the Right Restaurant Furniture

It takes work to start a new restaurant. There are many factors to consider, from picking the ideal site and designing an enticing menu to recruiting top-notch employees and building positive buzz about the establishment. The first step is to choose the right furniture for your restaurant.

It’s important to decide what the design of your restaurant will be and what kind of atmosphere it will generate. After all, clients’ initial impressions matter. When a new restaurant has a fantastic ambiance and terrific cuisine and service, an experience can jump from being merely enjoyable to memorable.

Yet, choosing the appropriate furniture and fixtures for your restaurant is a terrific approach to improving your interior design and branding. Your choices for the dining room, seating, unique storage options, and display cases impact your customers’ mood, tone, and overall dining experience.

Restaurant furniture comes in different sizes and shapes. Therefore, choosing the perfect furniture that suits your theme and offers comfort becomes challenging. Below, we will discuss six key elements to consider when selecting new items for your restaurant to assist you in deciding the best furniture pieces for your dining space.

Consider Your Restaurant’s Style and Brand

Retro diner restaurant with red vinyl booths, tables and red stools at a long counter bar

Choosing furnishings for your restaurant requires careful consideration of its style. The type of furniture you purchase will depend on the restaurant’s ambiance or atmosphere. Are you searching for a cozy, modern restaurant with wooden chairs? Or are you aiming for a more stylish look? Whatever your plans, you will require the right furniture to enhance your space. Here are some of the most popular themes to combine.

Traditional

The use of contemporary fixtures that mimic restored antiques and complement a historic aesthetic is a common theme. The furniture is typically elaborate, with velvet upholstery and dark wood finishes. Traditional-style furniture gives a space a quaint and endearing appearance.

Retro

Due to its material composition, which typically consists of plastic and metal furniture, retro furnishings offer a more sophisticated appearance than traditional ones. These vintage pieces of furniture have vibrant hues that would go well with your restaurant’s eye-catching neon signs.

Modern

Contrary to the vibrant hues of vintage furniture, modern furniture is typically simple and monochrome. Several contemporary objects create a modern vibe due to their sparkling appearance. This aesthetic is generally made with metal, glass, and plastic.

Industrial

Metals like tin and aluminum are used to create industrial furnishings. This construction’s attractiveness complements the brickwork and piping in your industrial restaurant. Use subtle hanging lights to highlight these chairs and tables.

Choose Restaurant Furniture That Fits Your Space

Eclectic style restaurant with sleek wood tables and colorful chairs, lighting and decor.

Speaking of comfortable and secure dining, giving your customers and workers enough room may let them move about more easily. If there isn’t much room in your restaurant, you should reduce the size of your tables and chairs to allow for more movement.

A more spacious feel could result from properly arranging your furniture, facilitating a more seamless entrance and exit from your restaurant. Start by creating a well-thought-out restaurant layout that considers your furniture arrangement to guarantee enough room.

Also, when choosing restaurant tables, you should consider which shape would complement your room and the restaurant’s style. Round, square, or rectangular tables are the most common types.

You should also look at your tables’ height regarding comfort. Are they at a height where customers can comfortably eat? Various options alter the specifications for the tables you need, as well.

Larger tables are necessary if your food requires extra serving pieces and utensils. You may need additional space according to the kind of food you serve and how many people will be sitting at the table.

Look for Comfortable Seating

It’s important to relax when eating and make yourself at home. The furniture in your restaurant must be comfy enough for guests to spend at least one to two hours, often the average length of time a group will spend there. You must ensure that your clients are at ease in your restaurant seating.

As opposed to customers who sit at the bar, customers seated at a table or booth should have more options for where to sit. They tend to stay longer. That is why using comfortable restaurant chairs with tables is crucial to allow customers to enjoy meals peacefully.

Choose Durable and Easy to Clean Materials

Given that your furniture will be in the spotlight, durability is crucial. Since almost everyone who enters your dining establishment will use it, it will experience significant wear and tear. You must ensure that the furniture you choose will survive for a long. Well-built furniture will last longer and require less maintenance while maintaining its original appearance.

The worst thing that might happen to your furniture is to squeak or wobble while someone uses it. Since clients will use your furniture the most, they will likely base their judgments about your restaurant on how well your tables and chairs are maintained.

The furniture in restaurants must be durable. Additionally, it must have the ability to endure harsh weather if it is outdoor furniture. The furniture in outdoor seating spaces needs to be weather-resistant.

Commercial chairs suitable for use as restaurant furniture must follow the specifications. By following these requirements, tables, and chairs are guaranteed to last longer and be more resilient to stress.

Another thing to think about is how you’ll make sure your furniture is well-maintained. It is occasionally unavoidable for consumers to leave stains that could harm your furniture. It is your responsibility as the owner to know how to maintain each item properly to prevent a decline in quality.

You might start by incorporating materials that are simple to maintain and clean. For instance, while choosing outdoor restaurant furniture, you must consider materials like anodized aluminum and powder-coated steel. Also, teach your team how to take care of your furnishings. As they are the ones who frequent your restaurant, they must be knowledgeable about how to maintain each of your furniture pieces.

Consider the Needs of Your Guests

Unknowingly, several restaurant operators make a critical mistake: they prioritize design over comfort. The look of your restaurant dictates the type of furniture you need, but it’s also important to consider how comfortable the seats and tables are. Remember, happy customers will return to your restaurant time and time again.

Make sure you consider and comprehend the needs of your target client demographic. Will your clients care about the height, softness, or style of the cushions? If it’s a well-known family restaurant, is it necessary to be able to install high chairs? How suitable are the seats for people of various sizes and shapes?

Regarding excellent customer service, restaurant owners must prioritize making their customers feel comfortable. Think about the materials, sharp corners, and upholstery of your seats. Provide enough room so they can move comfortably while seated without feeling confined. To ensure your guests feel comfortable and safe while dining, rounded corner chairs and tables might also be a smart option.

Keep the Functionality of Your Furniture in Mind

Empty outdoor restaurant on a patio next to the street with tables set for dining

The furnishings in your restaurant should be aesthetically pleasing and complement the overall design scheme. Yet it doesn’t imply you should sacrifice comfort and usability. The ability to eat comfortably and stylishly is something customers anticipate when they go to a restaurant.

So, let’s discuss the design of your table’s functionality and some considerations. Square tables are excellent for a classic design, providing necessary preparations even in a small room. Rectangle tables are ideal for large parties.

Then there are round tables, which are suitable for gatherings and offer extras like a hinged-bordered drop leaf that may help create larger tables when necessary. A table with drop-leaf leaves is one with articulated brackets. You can expand and connect your tables to accommodate larger gatherings.

Shop Commercial Restaurant Furniture at California Dining & Barstools Today!

The key to choosing restaurant furniture is balancing cost, comfort, and style. While researching is necessary to make the best decision, it’s also crucial to consider all the important factors we covered. It is essential to invest in high quality furniture that will stand the test of time.

Our selection of adaptable restaurant commercial furniture at California Dining & Barstools is suitable for usage in restaurants, bars, and cafes. Because they are long-lasting and made with superior materials, our products are of the finest quality. Our restaurant furnishings are ideal for owners looking to give their restaurants some personality. Contact us today to learn more or visit us at one of our two locations in the Bay area!