​Stop for a moment to think about your favorite dine-in restaurant, and what makes it special to you? Is the food always fresh and well prepared? Are the servers friendly? What about the restaurant furniture? Are the booths cozy without being cramped? Is there plenty of space to maneuver between the tables? Most people are quick to mention food quality and customer service when touting one restaurant over another, but they forget to talk about comfort.

If you stock your newly opened restaurant with stiff, uncomfortable furniture that’s too big or too bulky, guests aren’t likely to return. Regardless of the atmosphere you’re trying to create, you’ll need comfortable restaurant furniture that’s attractive, durable, and easy to clean. Similarly, you’ll need commercial kitchen equipment that’s high quality and able to easily handle your busiest times of day. At Restaurant Equipment Solutions, we’ve put together a guide for fledgling restaurateurs to help you outfit your business with furniture and equipment that will keep guests coming back again and again. We hope you find it helpful. And if you have more questions, don’t hesitate to call and talk with one of our experienced sales consultants.
1. Choose Quality Restaurant Furniture
It’s tempting to jump on a great deal on restaurant furniture, but if you’re buying cheap tables, chairs, or barstools, they’ll cost you in the long run. The furniture in your dining room must be durable enough to withstand the weight of your heaviest customers. Consider purchasing chairs with wood or welded steel frames. You want chairs that are sturdy, yet lightweight enough that you can move them easily around to accommodate large parties. The same goes for your barstools. But while you want sturdy, well-built frames, you must also consider comfort. Padded seats that are covered in easy-to-clean fabrics, such as vinyl, leather, or plastic, are necessities.

2. Keep Your Theme in Mind
Exercise restraint when it comes to buying mix-and-match pieces. If you’re hoping to evoke a certain mood or recreate a moment in time, your restaurant furniture should be your first consideration. Your pieces don’t have to be matching, but they must make sense together. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a dining area that looks cluttered and poorly planned.

3. Opt for Portability
Your ideal furniture pieces should offer some flexibility. This may mean purchasing tables with leaves that fold up or down or chairs that can be joined together to form benches. Restaurant furniture that features easy-roll casters are also good options. These allow you to accommodate unusual situations, such as large dining parties or dining parties that feature odd numbers of guests. Your dining room tables should be able to accommodate more than just the four-person nuclear family.

4. Build a Relaxing Ambiance
  • Allow enough space for guests and servers to move easily between tables.
  • Pay attention to details, such as the conditions of your fresh flower bouquets and condiment bottles.
  • Use lighting effectively, and don’t make your space too bright or too dark.
  • Consider adding a mural wall for guests to pose for selfies and social media posts.
  • Make sure booths are wide enough to accommodate larger guests.
  • Avoid trip hazards, such as rug edges and too-rustic floor tile.

If you’re not sure what sort of atmosphere you’re trying to create, speak with one of our friendly food-service professionals at Restaurant Equipment Solutions. Our staff is always happy to make suggestions regarding the best available restaurant furniture and commercial kitchen equipment.

5. Ensure Your Restaurant Furniture Suits Your Clientele
A restaurant that caters to families with small children has different furniture needs than one that targets the young, single, nightclub set. To be successful, you must ensure your dining or lounge area is specific to your guests. Consider fabrics, sharp corners, sanitization, safety, and more. For example, if you anticipate young children moving freely throughout the space, you may want to place barriers, such as a counter or cash register near the door. This not only helps to prevent children from darting unaccompanied through the exit, but it also acts as a preventive measure against abduction. Tables and chairs that feature rounded corners may also be safer choices for restaurants that cater to young families.

At the other end of the spectrum, an adult clientele expects certain features, too. These may include comfortably spaced barstools, mirrored surfaces for primping, and quiet corners where intimate conversations can occur. It’s important to identify your customer base before outfitting your new restaurant in either furniture or commercial kitchen equipment.