Booth Considerations for a Restaurant

Think about the last time you went to a restaurant. The hostess probably asked you if you’d like a booth or table. Did you choose the booth? Let’s face it: booths are more intimate and comfortable. With easy-to-clean vinyl fabric seats and wide variety of designs available, booths are a good choice for restauranteurs and their guests.

It’s important to note that the quality of construction of the booth impacts its durability, as well as your guests’ comfort. Your booth decision also impacts the level of maintenance required for longevity. Here are a few considerations to get you started.

Booth Type and Size

The first aspect of your decision should be booth types that are appropriate for your space. You can choose from single-sided or double-sided booths. Booths with two sides saves you money, while singles are perfect to put up against walls.

Other important elements to consider are length, seat depth, and overall height. Each of these are decided by the space your restaurant allows. The standard length for a bench is 48” and seats 2-3 people comfortably. They are typically 18” deep, making them more comfortable than typical restaurant seats that are 16”-17” deep. Finally, standard height is 42”-43” high, but can reach as high as 48”. Height is crucial for social flow and ambiance, as lower booths can create an open and airy atmosphere. Higher booths enable more privacy, but they also block natural light from windows.

Material

The longevity of your booths is heavily based on the material. The most common is vinyl fabric since it’s easy to clean and extremely durable. Coming in a variety of colors, this fabric is preferred by restauranteurs since the better grades of vinyl withstands rips and tears, allowing them to last longer than cloth seats.

Fabric booths are also common since they come in a variety of styles, patterns, and designs. You can even supply your own fabrics to an upholsterer for a custom look. Although fabric has a more upscale vibe than vinyl, it’s not stain resistant like vinyl. Some restaurant owners choose to only have fabric on the backing of the seat, paired with a vinyl seat, for a more expensive look.

Features and Add-Ons

If you’ve ever bussed a table, you know the space between the seat and the backing of a booth is notorious for catching crumbs. Not anymore! Adding a “crumb-strip” makes that task so much easier. A crumb-strip is a separated area between the seat and booth back to help restaurant personnel wipe off the crumbs quicker. They help keep the booth clean and increase the booth’s longevity.

A head roll, a long horizontal piece running along the booth back, adds another layer of style to your booth. Like a cushion or pillow, you can change a pattern or color from the rest of the booth for a pop of color. If your walls are bare, this is a good solution to break them up.

Are you considering buying booths for your restaurant, or do you want to update them? The experts at All Vinyl Fabrics are here to help. All Vinyl Fabrics carries a large selection of vinyl fabric that you can use to update, restore, and enhance the booths in your restaurant. Contact us today or give us a call at 770-618-4695, and we’ll help you get started.