You might expect that your choice of restaurant furniture will have an effect on the levels of repeat custom you achieve - but how exactly does the relationship between the two work?
On the one hand there are the practical concerns, and restaurant furniture should be ergonomically designed and comfortable for the duration of the meal, and potentially throughout drinks afterwards if you allow diners to stay after dessert.
It should be in good condition - durable, hard-wearing and easy to clean materials are generally a good thing - and any broken chairs or uneven tables should be replaced promptly to avoid making a bad impression on diners.
But there are also more abstract issues, such as the aesthetic of your restaurant furniture and how well it suits the rest of your interior design scheme.
A study published in the Journal of Consumer Sciences looks at 'vintage concept' restaurants as a dining destination for urban dwellers - including those equipped with vintage-inspired restaurant furniture, retro menu designs, and antique cutlery and decorations.
The researchers were able to confirm three predictions: that perceived value influences customer satisfaction; that the restaurant atmosphere influences satisfaction; and crucially, that this level of satisfaction significantly affects whether customers plan to return to dine again.
What this all boils down to is simply that the right atmosphere - and the right value for money - can significantly increase your chances of diners coming back in future.
In this particular research, the participants used vintage restaurant furniture - or modern vintage-inspired reproductions - to create an antique atmosphere, although there is no reason why any consistent and welcoming atmosphere might not have an equally positive effect on customer satisfaction.
Restaurant furniture can cater for a range of styles, from farmhouse furniture suited to a more homely, relaxed and intimate atmosphere, to elegant dark wood and leather for a minimalist and modern appearance.
Of course there are specific types of seating suitable for certain establishments - diner furniture including benches in classic red and cream, or metal bistro furniture for your outdoor terrace - but the important thing is to choose something that looks and feels good, and to be consistent.
The exception to this, and returning to the vintage theme, is to opt for shabby chic furniture that deliberately mixes styles, to give the impression that it has been collected over an extended period of time - and this can help you to look well established, giving diners the sense that you will still be here if and when they choose to return in future.