Flexibility in seating arrangements is a crucial factor in the success of any restaurant. The goal is to create a dining area that is as open and free-flowing as possible, without sacrificing seating capacity. This balance is relatively easy to achieve when serving only a small number of guests. However, as most restaurant owners can attest, accommodating large parties often requires rearranging tables, which can disrupt the flow of the dining area. This is where drop-leaf tables come into play. They offer an ideal solution, allowing you to seamlessly convert from square to round, adding extra seating space without requiring a full reorganization of your restaurant's layout.
Flexible Seating Capacity
When you need to quickly seat more guests, a drop-leaf table is the perfect solution. For example, in just a minute or two, you can transform a restaurant table designed for 4 people into one that accommodates 6 by simply lifting the leaves and securing them in place. This simple action allows you to adjust the shape of the table from square to round, adding extra seating space without the need to rearrange your restaurant’s layout. This feature proves invaluable when unexpected large parties arrive, and you need to quickly adjust seating capacity. Additionally, moving heavy wooden tables can be cumbersome and risky, potentially causing damage or injury. Drop-leaf tables, on the other hand, offer a safer and more efficient way to increase your seating capacity. They also provide a flexible way to change the aesthetic of your dining room by adjusting the table's shape from square to round.
Like all our restaurant tables, drop-leaf tables are built for commercial use and are designed to withstand heavy use. What sets a drop-leaf table apart from a regular one is its versatility. Essentially, you get two tables in one, giving you the flexibility to adapt to different seating needs without having to invest in multiple different styles of tables.
Why Did Beaverton's China Town Restaurant Choose Drop Leaf Tables?
Beaverton's China Town Restaurant is a popular dining destination, known for its spacious and open layout. The restaurant's traditional decor features a large mural, wall decorations, and a carpeted floor. The restaurant chairs and tables are carefully chosen to match the overall color scheme, and they are spaced generously to ensure diners enjoy privacy while providing staff with enough room to move around during service.
Due to its high demand, particularly during rush hours, seating flexibility is key for China Town Restaurant. After consulting with the restaurant’s designer, our team recommended using drop-leaf tables. These versatile tables allow the staff to quickly transform a table for 4 into one for 6 or 7, providing the flexibility needed to accommodate large parties without disrupting the restaurant's layout.
Closed Drop Leaf Tables
In their closed position, drop-leaf tables are perfect for seating between 2 and 4 people. Large venues like China Town Restaurant often prefer to keep as much open space as possible between tables, facilitating easier movement and creating a more intimate, relaxed dining environment. The closed drop-leaf tables help achieve this, allowing for flexibility without crowding the space.
Opened Drop Leaf Tables
During rush hours or when large parties arrive, the drop-leaf tables can be easily expanded to add extra seating. This is particularly beneficial in spaces like China Town Restaurant, where the carpeted floors create friction, making it difficult to move heavy tables. With just a quick adjustment, a table for 4 can expand to seat up to 7 diners, without the hassle of moving furniture around, saving both time and effort.
Multiple Sizes
Commonly, drop leaf tables come with 4 leaves, meaning you can open 2 leaves and change it to an oval size or all 4 for a round-shaped table. The standard drop leaf table sizes are:
- 30" X 30" (accommodates 2) opens to 42" diameter, (accommodates 4-5)
- 36" X 36" (accommodates 4) opens to 51" diameter, (accommodates 5-6)
- 42" X 42" (accommodates 4) opens to 60" diameter, (accommodates 6-8)
This makes drop leaf tables the perfect option for turning your restaurant into a venue for large events, such as banquets and weddings, without the need of permanently having large, over-sized tables taking up unnecessary space.
Structure
The drop leaf table top includes a fixed square top and most commonly, 4 leaves (one on each side) which are held in place using strong springless hinges and slide bars. This allows you to assemble your drop leaf safely and securely in just seconds and it can be changed back just as quickly. The strong slide bars and hinges are made for tough durability designed to be used multiple times in a busy commercial environment and are capable of holding up the weight placed on them the same as the rest of the table. When opened up, the leaves will blend seamlessly with the rest of the table.
Materials
Drop leaf tables can be made from several materials such as solid wood, laminate with self-edge, and laminate with overlay and are available in many different styles and finishes. Solid wood table tops are usually the most common selection for a drop leaf table. Additionally, our custom laminate tables come in many different laminates giving you a wide spectrum of options to choose from to match your décor and restaurant’s theme.
Wood is divided into 2 main categories: hardwood and softwood. Solid wood table tops for commercial use are made of various types of hardwood which provides not only elegance but also strength and durability. While a little more expensive than other types of wood and wood derivative table tops, solid wood shines through thanks to its superior aesthetics and high-end looks.
Laminate is made of synthetic materials and is coated with a thin layer that can be made to look like wood, stone, or any other material. More heat and scratch-resistant than solid wood, melamine is a good choice when looking for a cheaper alternative that also has a lot of customization options. The self-edge laminate has the same color and texture on the edges as it does on the top, creating the impression of a table top made from one solid piece.
The overlay laminate has a wooden edge overlapping the laminate top. With the top made to look like anything from stone to metal and even a printed image, the wooden edge adds an extra dimension to the top, making it stand out and be noticed.
