Aside from the menu items and culinary cuisine, the way your restaurant is decorated and furnished plays a key role in its success. Eating out isn’t just about the food. Patrons go to restaurants to get the entire dining-out experience, and the ambiance that your restaurant offers is an important part of the package for patrons. One way to set the right atmosphere is through an effective table-top design.
Here are some ways to choose the proper size table top design you want to use in your restaurant.
By Layout and Space
The layout and capacity of your restaurant’s space is probably the most important factor for deciding on table top sizes. For the most part, restaurants are able to have a variety of “classes” of seating, such as a main dining area along with restaurant booths or alcoves, both of which would necessitate different sizes in tables.
The best way to gauge how different table tops can work in the space you have is to map out dimensions with graph paper, which will allow you to come up with a number of configurations to be tested. You’ll also be able to gain insight about the different layouts that you may be able to work with that will allow staff and customers to move around the room easily.
By Party Configuration
It’s helpful to identify the types of parties that you expect will dine at your restaurant when deciding on the right size table tops for your restaurant. For instance, large family parties will want to sit closer to one another, while patrons on a date might want more distance between each table setting.
For the utmost in flexibility, it’s helpful to anticipate the accommodation of a number of types of parties within each table, especially for large table tops. Consider more small tables that can be easily pushed together to accommodate larger groups, allowing restaurant staff to quickly adjust the arrangement of tables as needed to serve a variety of customer configurations.
By Customer and Service
Customer and service type in a restaurant plays an important role in pinpointing an appropriate table top size. Generally speaking, the industry standard is to allow between 21” to 30” along the edges of the tables for each patron. This will allow for basic service whereby the diner won’t have to deal with more than one plate, a couple of glasses, and one set of silverware.
Selecting the right table top sizes is important for a restaurant, considering the fact that their arrangement and dimensions will determine how your dining area will be laid out. This will affect both the diners’ experience as well as the ease with which personnel can move through the restaurant. Be sure to keep these tips in mind when choosing the right size table top for your restaurant.