Restaurant Table and Bases Guide

At the heart of it, there are over a thousand different types of restaurant tables suited for variable restaurant interior designs, color schemes and motifs. Purchasing a restaurant table is a crucial and personal experience for many reasons. A restaurant table is the centerpiece of the dining room where guests are entertained and share important meals with family and friends. The restaurant dining table is both seen and utilized more than just a furniture piece. We aim to help guide you toward the perfect table for your restaurant layout and décor by breaking down table top shapes, colors, materials, sizes and features along with compatible table bases to pair them with.

Well balanced styles and sizes of restaurant tables will minimize your guests’ waiting time to be seated. If you are serving a fast food type of menu, for instance, you will need less dining space per person at a table in contrast to a three course dinner menu. Tables for a coffee house are comparatively smaller than tables used at a family dining restaurant. Measurement of your available floor space will also need to be accounted for when selecting restaurant tables.

Two / Four Person Tables

These type of tables are the most popular restaurant table design. Two / four persons tables are usually sold in two components; table tops and table bases. Table tops are sold in a variety of wood finishes, laminate, resin and granite. They can also be customized with your brand or design. Restaurant bases are either cast iron, aluminum or chrome. Sizes range from 24" x 24" for a square top to 48” x 36” for a rectangular top and 24” to 36” for a round top.

Bar Height Tables

These restaurant tables are commonly used at sports bars and pubs. Square or round table tops can be used. Bar stools are paired with these tables. A table top is usually secured with a 42” height base to create a bar height table.

Booth Tables

Restaurant booths create an intimate private dining experience for guests as well as save space. Booth tables are either secured to a wall using a cantilever or to a standard x prong or round base. Read our booth tables guide for more information.

Family Dining Tables

Large tables are a popular choice for family style restaurants as they can accommodate up to 10 people. They are also used for banquet halls and party room settings. These tables are often used to designate special areas at family style venues. Tables are available in rectangular and round shapes in a wide variety of finishes and stains. Relevant sizes are: 30" x 72"; 48" Round and 60" Round.

Outdoor / Patio Tables

Weather resistant restaurant tables are essential for your outdoor dining space. Outdoor restaurant tables are available in synthetic teak, glass, cedar, resin, rattan and stainless steel secured with an aluminum table base. Patio tables, table tops and table bases are available in standard regular table and bar height sizes.

Being able to estimate the number of people that can comfortably fit around various sized and shaped tables require some guesswork which can be difficult. As you can imagine, seating capacity can vary. While you want to maximize seating capacity, you don’t want to end up with an overcrowded and cramped dining room where no one has any space to maneuver to and from their seats. This restaurant table sizes chart will help you calculate seating capacity as well as determine table top shapes and sizes that work best for you:

Rectangular

As the most popular table shape, rectangular tables can seat more people when hosting large groups of guests, making it easy to expand seating capacity. Being the most functional shape, rectangular tops allow for playfulness of style that spawns a wide variety of tables. When used, the added weight and size of rectangular tops require two T-shaped/2 prong bases or industrial table legs.

Square

Square shaped tops are the simplest table design. They bring a classic look to your dining room while keeping patrons equally spaced and closer together. Perfect for compact dining spaces, square tops can accommodate 4 diners.

Round

Although round table tops may not be the most space-efficient option, they facilitate conversation between patrons. They allow for shifting seating options and often include features such as hinged edged or a leaf which create lengthier surface areas. Just note that a round base offers more stability and support to a round table top than a square table base.

The table top itself is where guests will interact with the most and it is often the dining table. It is by far the most important element of a restaurant table’s construction. While many designs are holistic, the same materials are still used throughout. However, some restaurant tables are feature a different material top than the frame and base. The most popular table top materials we use and sell are:

Wood Table Tops

Durable and easy to repair though requires regular maintenance to upkeep their appearance. Mostly built for indoor use but some such as teak can be used in outdoor settings.

Laminate Table Tops

Based on a multi-layered construction that allows for a sturdy, appealing, yet wear-resistant surface. Can be used indoors though some are designed to withstand harsh outdoor elements.

Granite Table Tops

Though often used for counter tops, they can be found on certain luxurious restaurant table models. Extremely hard, durable, heat and scratch resistant. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Resin Table Tops

Our resin table tops come with a wood core are durable, resistant to impact, staining, UV rays, heat and scratches and most can be used in outdoor settings as well as indoors.

Plastic Teak Tables

Known as faux and synthetic teak to many, plastic teak is lighter and more durable than wood is also UV and weather resistant making it a popular material for creating outdoor furniture.

Steel Tables

Steel is rust resistant, durable, affordable and attractive. These tables are made of heavy-gauge steel and stand up to years of daily use and abuse both indoors and outdoors.

Style is the final element of important consideration when shopping for a restaurant table. Below we’ve gathered a plethora of the most popular types of restaurant table styles which by no means exhaustive, serve to inspire you to create your own style and design. They range from traditional, modern, rustic to industrial and contemporary:

Traditional Style Restaurant Tables

Traditional style tables often used in fine dining settings. With elegantly finished wood, detail textured and rich proportions, traditional style tables lend a powerful and timeless look.

Modern Style Restaurant Tables

Modern style restaurant tables evoke a mixture of aesthetics and utility that flourished in the beginning of the 20th century with clean lines and sharp angles framing plain surfaces. This table style brings a thin and airy element to any room.

Rustic Style Restaurant Tables

Rustic style tables use unpainted wood in a more natural shape for a simplistic and feel that is popular in bistros, coffee shops, cafeterias in cabins and vacation rental dining rooms. Rustic style tables tend to be rectangular and have a casual, open feel with an inviting mood.

Industrial Style Restaurant Tables

Industrial style tables are meant to convey the warehouse look and feel with naked metal and bold, strong, distressed wood shapes paired together to create a purposeful look that is contemporary but also timeless. This style is easy to achieve, looks great and is very functional; especially effective in breweries and pubs.

Solid Wood Butcher Block Restaurant Tables

A butcher block table is constructed of blocks of wood face-glued together to reveal the edge grain on the surface. The individual block patterns are noticeable as part of the smooth top. This process creates a hard surface offering a rustic and contemporary look which is one of many reasons they are a go-to choice for wooden restaurant table tops.

Solid Wood Plank Restaurant Tables

Wood grain up design is one of the most attractive features of a plank wooden table top. It has a more traditional build, making this table top easier to stain uniformly. Contrary to a butcher block table top, a solid plank top has a smoother, richer surface making it a beautiful addition to any dining setting.

Table bases are the focal points of a restaurant table. They affect your customers’ dining experience and mismatching a base with the wrong top size can create an awkward and uncomfortable dining experience. Bases also serve to provide stability and support to table tops. Available in a variety of sizes and styles, most of our table bases include the components featured below: