The layout and furnishings that you choose to use in your new restaurant could make all the difference when it comes to attracting customers.

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You might decide to create some bespoke table and bar features using someone like TableLegsOnline.com to supply the components you need, or it could be that you are looking for a combination of booths and tables.

Here is a look at what to consider when trying to choose the best way to furnish your new food palace.

Making the most of the space that you have available

It is always hard to give definitive advice on whether you should use tables or booths in your restaurant, as the layout and space and available might just lend itself to one or the other, or both options.

Custom booths are perceived to be the more expensive option when compared to tables, but when you consider that each table and booth can often accommodate more people than you can with a table and multiple chairs.

Even if the numbers are about the same, booths can sometimes be considered by customers as a more comfortable and upmarket seating option. What you spend on your booth can vary greatly, with some more thickly padded than others and using more luxurious upholstery than more budget booths available.

If you want to make the most of the space that you have available, it may well turn out that giving the customer a choice of seating areas in the form of some tables and some booths, might turn out to be the best option, rather than trying to settle on one over the other.

Making the most of your square footage

It is important for a restaurant business to try and squeeze as much profit as possible out of every square foot of space available, but you can’t afford to compromise customer safety or comfort in the process.

Not only do you have to consider aspects such as compliance with requirements like Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when designing your layout, but you also have to think about how cozy diners want to get with other people who are not eating with them, and also how easy it will be for waiters to move safely and efficiently between tables.

Try to think about traffic patterns and exactly how you envisage your customers and waiting staff will interact with the space that you are designing. The temptation is always there to squeeze a few extra tables into the layout design in order to generate a bit more profit, but if you get a bit too greedy with your square footage, there is always the chance that your move will have the opposite effect.

Get your calculations right

Whether you decide to use booths or tables or a combination of the two options, it is important that you get your calculations right before ordering the furniture. Often, restaurant owners refer to a restaurant and bar consulting to help them make changes to their business, to know they are doing the right thing.

The sort of food that you will be serving can have an impact on your choice of table size for example, as you may well need a larger dimension than the industry standard if you are going to be serving large platters or sharing dishes than need a lot of room for diners to eat with comfort.

Coffee shops and diners tend to need smaller tables or booths, but if you are going to be delivering a showpiece pizza to share to the table, you definitely need to be sure that there is enough room for it.

Take the time to think about how you are going to furnish your restaurant, as it can make a difference in so many ways.

Oliver Morgan has worked as a hotel and restaurant interior designer for several years now; though he has always worked in the travel industry. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and writes articles for hoteliers and the travel industry as a whole.