How to Design a Restaurant Booth

Most restaurants are set up with some combination of booths and tables, while others (usually diners) are set up 100 percent with booths. If you are opening a mid- to low-scale restaurant (in terms of pricing), you are probably going to want to figure out a design for your restaurant booths that fits in with the general design of your establishment. Maybe a few tips will help guide you as you piece together the design of your restaurant, starting with the booths and tables.

Instructions

1

Decide if want the booth to be padded with soft cushions (upholstered). If you have a mid-scale family-style restaurant (like TGI Friday's, IHOP or Houlihan's) where the patrons will be staying for long luxurious dinners, you might want to go with a cushioned restaurant booth. If you plan on opening a diner or quick eating establishment where long stays are not encouraged, or if you want a specific "rustic feel" for your restaurant, then you might want to go with a polished wooden booth with no cushions. Wooden booths are also popular for barbecue joints and other informal eateries. A few other popular booth designs: classic/banquet booths with rich, luxurious leathers; boutique-style booths with artsy designs; and sleek, asymmetrical booths that add a modern feel to your eating establishment.

2

If the booth will be upholstered, decide if you want the fabric to be vinyl (which is easy to clean) or cotton (like a sofa). Choose a color, pattern or design for the fabric of your restaurant booth.

3

Decide on the design of the top part of your booth. Some restaurant owners like to add an extra flair to the restaurant design (as well as better privacy) by adding an intricately designed top to the back of the booth, similar to that of a headboard on a bed. Some prefer to keep the look of the restaurant informal (and save some money) by leaving the top off of the back of the booth.

4

If you are not doing an upholstered (cushioned) booth, decide what color the booth will be painted. You may even choose to leave the booth unpainted if you prefer a wooden or metal/stainless steel look to add a special theme to your restaurant. However, if you leave your booth unpainted, make sure that it is properly shined, buffed and stained (for wood, if necessary).