Book a table for dinner and you have a range of different options for where to eat - restaurants, cafes, bistros and diners, not to mention gastropubs, all-inclusive buffets and so on.
So how do these settings differ - and what is the difference between restaurant furniture and cafe furniture, for instance?
As you might expect, there are no clear-cut distinctions between the different main types of foodservice establishment, and often it's more about creating a consistent interior design scheme than about sticking to what you perceive as being the 'expected' furniture for a restaurant or cafe.
Formality and practicality
There are general rules of thumb though - for example, a restaurant is often a more formal dining room, sometimes on a larger overall scale, and it may be furnished so that individual tables are lit separately by overhead light fittings.
A cafe, on the other hand, may be more relaxed, with less floor space and tables closer together or more uniformly spaced, and in many cases will be lit more brightly with natural light from a front picture window, or more intense overhead lighting.
Cafe furniture is therefore often made to be more practical - smaller rectangular tables that can fit quite close together for maximum occupancy in a smaller space, and greater use of synthetic materials that can wipe clean quickly ready for the next diners.
Restaurant furniture often - although not always - includes more natural materials like wood, more upholstery to keep diners comfortable throughout longer, three-course meals, and matching wooden tables where the protection comes from varnish or lacquer, rather than from the use of a synthetic material in itself.
Furniture to suit both cafes and restaurants
There are exceptions though, and for example, our shabby chic collection includes some rustic, farmhouse furniture styles that would be well suited to a cafe or a restaurant, as part of a matching overall design scheme.
In the end, it's up to you to decide what will work best for your premises and clientele - from formal to casual, classic wood to modern synthetic materials, dark stained timber to bright American diner furniture - so browse our restaurant and cafe furniture categories and don't forget our bulk furniture packages for great value.
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