Booths or chairs? What works better in your venue

Booths along the walls, chairs at the tables, or both. This question comes back when planning every new room, and the answer has less to do with the style of the interior and more to do with how people move through the venue.

Booths and chairs in one table

The differences come down to four things, and each of them tips the balance a different way.

What we compare	Booth	Chairs
Space taken	less, because the guest slides in along the table	more, because the chair has to be pushed back
Layout flexibility	the furniture stays against the wall for good	you add and move them in a minute
Lead time	3 to 6 weeks made to measure	7 to 14 working days
Where it works	walls, corners, narrow walkways	a room that often changes its layout

A booth, a restaurant sofa and a venue couch are the same piece of furniture, so the comparison applies to all three names.

When a booth wins: walls, corners and narrow walkways

A booth wins wherever every centimetre of walkway counts. It needs no space for pushing a chair back when getting up, because the guest slides in and out along the table.

In the same area it gives more seats than a set of chairs around a table. It takes 50 to 70 cm of depth, depending on the model, and you subtract that figure from the width of the room when planning.

When chairs are better: a room that often changes its layout

Chairs win where the room layout changes every week. It is easy to add a seat for a bigger group, move a table or rearrange the room for a group booking.

Our catalogue includes, among others, the Mila chair for restaurants, the Cherry chair with armrests, the Chi chair, the Coral chair for the garden, the Monti chair and Chair 121. A booth, once installed against a wall, stays in that place for good.

How long you wait for each

We make chairs and tables in 7 to 14 working days, regardless of colour, and booths sewn to measure in 3 to 6 weeks from the moment your payment is booked. If the opening date is already set, this difference can matter more than the room layout itself.

One exception is worth knowing: we make Chair 121 in 3 to 6 weeks, like booths, not in the lead time of the other chairs. If you are aiming for this model with an opening coming up soon, say so straight away.

The mixed solution: a booth by the wall, chairs on the aisle side

The most common solution in restaurants combines both pieces of furniture at one table: a booth along the wall, chairs on the other side of the table. It combines the space saving by the wall with the flexibility of chairs on the aisle side.

With this layout a table for four takes 1.2 to 1.5 linear metres of booth. A room with five such tables along one wall means roughly 6 to 7.2 metres.

How it worked at the Kaffel bakery café in Gliwice

In practice it often ends up being both. At the Kaffel bakery café in Gliwice we combined a booth with chairs, choosing colours for the historic interior.

What to tell us for a quote

Give us the length of the wall and the number of seats you are aiming for. We will tell you on the phone whether a booth, chairs or both work out better: +48 535 080 040.

Frequently asked questions

What seats more guests in the same area?

A booth. The guest slides in along the table, so no space needs to be kept for pushing a chair back.

How long do chairs take, and how long booths?

Chairs and tables 7 to 14 working days, custom booths 3 to 6 weeks. The exception is Chair 121, which we make in 3 to 6 weeks.

Can a booth be combined with chairs at one table?

Yes, and it is the most common layout in restaurants: a booth along the wall, chairs on the aisle side.

How many metres of booth does a table for four need?

From 1.2 to 1.5 linear metres, if guests sit on one side.

Mariusz Wolski · owner of KAIZEN sp. z o.o. · in the furniture industry since 2005