What makes the perfect dining environment? Is it all down to the food, or does restaurant furniture, lighting and general ambiance matter too?
The answer is usually that everything from the moment you walk through the door matters - it can take just one thing to leave a lasting poor impression in a customer's mind, and that may influence their decision of whether to come back in the future or not.
You can't always directly control the atmosphere of your eatery - other diners may be noisy on any given night, for instance - but by selecting the right restaurant furniture, you can at least make sure everybody is seated comfortably.
On Arrival
First up, think about the moment your guests arrive for their meal - and specifically, what happens if their table is not yet ready.
This often-overlooked aspect of the dining experience is the first real interaction many of your customers will have with you.
By providing a separate section of seating, you give waiting customers somewhere to relax with a drink, while showing that you are prioritising their needs - and have not simply left them to wait indefinitely in your bar area with other customers.
At the Table
Most customers will be at their table longer than they are in any other part of your establishment, so give them comfortable seating and a table big enough for whatever they may choose to order.
This should include leaving plenty of space around the table, so people can easily get to and from it throughout the meal - whether that is the diners going outside to smoke or moving from their seat to the toilets, or your waiting staff moving around the seated dining party.
Just Desserts
After the meal, recognise that not everybody will want cake or ice cream for dessert; and in fact, some groups might all want a drink instead.
In some instances, it might be worth having a separate lounge-style bar area for these groups to move across to, letting them relax in less formal surroundings while freeing up their table for more diners.