When purchasing new restaurant chairs or tables, we usually go by our personal tastes or try to match our interior décor. However, did you know that the type or style of your restaurant plays a crucial part in selecting your restaurant furniture as well? Different types of restaurants have their own characteristics and target clients. From cafeterias to bistros, from fine dining to brewpubs, read on to how to select the perfect furniture for different restaurant types:
Tips to match your furniture with the style of restaurant
1. Bistros Bistros are small restaurants serving simple meals at moderate prices in a modest setting. Bistros are famous for their unpretentious ambiance and the wholesome food they serve. For example, you might see a blackboard for a bistro’s daily menu instead of a printed menu. The restaurant tables and chairs in bistros are typically small and arranged in an intimate setup. Small, round granite table tops with designer bases are perfect for a bistro. Similarly, you can choose metal frame chairs with padded seats having a simple back design.
2. Brasseries A brasserie is another style of a small restaurant. Brasseries, meaning brewery in French, are famous for their upscale, relaxed atmosphere and décor. Many of the brasseries in the United States feature French food. Unlike bistros, brasseries feature professional details such as linen table coverings and printed menus. Custom butcher block tables or granite table tops give a premium look required for a brasserie-style restaurant. Complement these tables with high-quality wooden bar stools or chairs. You can select either a wooden seat or go with upholstered seats that offer ultimate comfort to your guests.
3. Brewpubs Brewpubs are restaurants that serve food while brewing beer on their premises as well. Brewpubs are famous for serving original, high-quality menu items and custom brewed beer. Most brewpubs have a dedicated bar area, and some may even have a separate observation area of their on-premise beer brewing equipment. As a brewpub owner, you would want to accentuate the bar area with high-quality, durable restaurant furniture. Custom butcher-block or solid oak tables offer the look and feel of a traditional American brewpub. Match these with quality restaurant wood chairs and barstools to highlight the bar area.
4. Buffets Buffets are popular restaurant types where guests serve themselves from food counters placed in a public area. For restaurant owners, a buffet is profitable as it requires less staffing than any other restaurant type. For customers, a buffet is desirable as it gives them a wide variety of food options. The décor for a buffet restaurant can vary widely. Budget-friendly, simple buffet restaurants offer an all-you-can-eat menu for an attractive price and do not require expensive décor. On the contrary, lavish buffets in upscale hotels or casinos are pricey and have opulent décor. Whether yours is a budget buffet or a high-end buffet, choose restaurant tables and chairs that are durable and easy to clean. Commercial booths, which come in various styles, are a popular choice for buffet restaurants. Since buffet-style restaurants generally require more dining area per table than other restaurant styles, pay special attention to table sizes.
5. Coffee Houses Coffee houses usually serve custom coffees and other beverages along with small food items like pastries, snacks, etc. Coffee houses are famous for their relaxed ambiance where youngsters, executives, artists, etc., can work or discuss while enjoying a snack. A typical coffee house features intimate tables, in either dining or bar height, with internet (Wi-Fi) access. A round or square table having a granite or resin table top on a standard base would be a good coffee shop choice. Matching wooden or metal chairs or bar stools are also great options. As patrons spend considerable time in coffee shops while working on their computers, ensure that your chairs are comfortable and durable.
6. Food Courts Food courts, usually located in high-traffic areas like shopping malls or airports, are common dining areas that provide restaurant tables and chairs for multiple vendors. Since there are several outlets in a food court, you don’t have to match any style, and design possibilities are limitless. Clean lines and bright colors are always excellent options for food courts to entice shoppers. When choosing food courts’ furniture, pay special attention to their weight, maintenance, and durability. Since chairs and tables in this high traffic area will have a high customer turnover, they must be easy to clean and maintain. Brightly colored laminate or resin tables with matching molded plastic or metal chairs are sensible choices for food courts.
7. Fine Dining Fine dining is the most expensive and upscale restaurant that offers high-quality food and service, elegant ambiance, and plush furniture. In a fine dining restaurant, your customers expect the finest cutlery, a decorative table setup, and an unbeatable dining experience. Many fine-dining restaurants have a bar that doubles up as a waiting area. Choose sturdy wooden tables and vintage chairs with luxurious cushions or upholstered barstools to grace the dining area. When planning a fine dining restaurant, think of ways to elevate the experience and comfort of your guests. For example, a coat checking counter is a great way to show your commitment to unparalleled hospitality.
8. Cafeteria Ever attended high school in the United States? If yes, then you know about the cafeteria-style of dining. Usually, a cafeteria is a self-service restaurant that serves ready-cooked food items. Guests line up, take a tray, and pick what they want to eat from the food options arranged behind a long counter. Apart from self-serve, ready-made portions of salads, soups, etc., some cafeterias offer fresh-cooked menu items like waffles, omelets, etc. While choosing furniture for your cafeteria, go for designs that combine aesthetics and practicality. Compact, round tables have a relaxed vibe that encourages conversations. Similarly, for cafeteria chairs, go for armless models with a hard seat.
9. Contemporary casual Contemporary casual is a new type of sit-down restaurant that emphasizes the atmosphere and dining experience. A contemporary casual restaurant balances the dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere with innovative ideas like farm-to-table, craft beverages, fusion cuisine, etc., that highlight sustainability. Furniture for a contemporary casual restaurant reflects a relaxed, softer style with traits like overstuffed sofas, leather upholstery, rounded edges, medium wood tones, etc.
10. Pop-up restaurant A pop-up restaurant is an emerging trend that allows its owners to experiment with novel ideas of food styles. Chefs or owners of pop-up restaurants try to test which cuisines or concepts would work in a particular area. Pop-up restaurants try to create a unique experience with attractive ideas like food trucks, beer gardens, camping restaurants, etc., that remain operational only for a few months in a year. While deciding the furniture of a pop-up restaurant, consider how long you will operate and what is dining area you require. Since it is a temporary setup, you can choose to rent tables, chairs, and other décor elements.
Summing it up:
Restaurant furniture is more than just a décor element, and your dining area is more than just the placement of tables and chairs. In addition to the food you serve or the service you provide, matching the restaurant furniture with its style can significantly improve the dining experience for your customers.
This article discusses some of the most popular restaurant styles and what kind of furniture goes with them. Hopefully, by taking notes from this short guide, you will be able to design a comfortable, unique, and appealing restaurant for your guests to stand out from your competitors.