Calculating Your Seating Capacity

Efficiently using the space you have in your restaurant is crucial. Not doing so can affect different aspects of the restaurant, especially the number of customers you can host at once. 

Before purchasing your restaurant furniture, there are few steps you should consider taking. 

First, you should determine your maximum capacity for seating in your restaurant. If you figure this out, the second step will be much easier, as you should then find restaurant furniture that can completely utilize the space you have available. If you keep these two factors in mind, purchasing the best furniture for your restaurant will be a breeze and you’ll be able to fill up your restaurant nicely.

There are a few ways you can go about calculating the maximum capacity of your restaurant. You could either divide the area of the restaurant by the space of a person or perhaps a simpler way would be to come up with a rough sketch of your restaurant to help you figure it out. The sketch would have to be to scale, of course, but it could help you better visualize the placement of your furniture. If you don’t already have furniture yet though, this would be a great time to explore your options, to ensure your seating capacity is reached. Perhaps before you go shopping for your restaurant furniture, come up with the ideal number of guests you would like to host at once. After you have this number, you can get a better idea of the type of furniture you should buy and how many pieces you need. 

Once you have reviewed your floor plan and desired layout, you can then begin looking at furniture. 

Having a few potential restaurant layouts would be beneficial, as you will be able to choose the best seats for your space and be creative with it as well. Depending on the size of your restaurant you could have a few options. To maximize your seating capacity, it’d be best to incorporate a variety of restaurant furniture into your plan. This would be good for you, as you’ll be able to accommodate more guests, and also it will be more appealing to them.

One piece of furniture that will absolutely increase your seating capacity is a booth. Booths are usually meant for four guests but can accommodate up to eight or even ten people, depending on the size. Even if you only have space for one, it’s a great way to optimize your seating capacity. 

On top of that, having a few high-top tables between normal tables can add a little more room. So be sure to diversify your furniture choices! While you want your space to be completely filled, always be sure to check and make sure there’s still room in between pieces so guests and staff can easily move around. 

Obviously, knowing your seating capacity is important, as any restaurant owner wants to ensure they’re able to seat as many guests as possible. There are a few ways you can go about calculating your seat capacity, but the best way to ensure you’re utilizing your space efficiently is to install a variety of restaurant furniture.