Table of Contents
- How to layout your bar seating and area?
- Bar Seating Height?
- What are the Benefits of Bar Seating?
- What are the Pros and Cons of Bar Seating?
- Where to Buy Bar Seating Furniture?
- FAQs
Whether unwinding after a long day with work mates or celebrating a special occasion with loved ones, bars can be a valuable addition to your restaurant. To make the best of your bar, you must have trendy yet comfortable bar seating. So, what is bar seating? A dedicated bar area in your restaurant is where your guests can wait, have a set, order drinks, and relax as their tables get ready. However, over time, the bar area has become a go to choice for many restaurant goers, especially solo diners. Bar stools, therefore, are essential to a successful bar area. Read on to learn everything about the design, advantages, and maintenance of bar seating:
How to layout your bar seating and area?
Many restaurant owners get confused while designing their bar area. Spacing between bar stools is the most crucial yet miscalculated aspect of seating for your restaurant's bar. As a restaurant owner, you would want to maximize your seating capacity by putting in as many bar stools as you can. On the other hand, your customers would like to have a well-spaced and comfortable seating clearance. As a trade-off, a 6" side clearance between two backless bar stools is the standard and most popular bar seating design. Here are some additional design tips for setting up your bar:
- Leave sufficient floor space of about 3.5-4 feet along the bar for barstools and your customers.
- Since most bar stools are 16" to 18" wide, divide your bar countertop length (in inches) by 24 to see how many barstools you can accommodate comfortably.
- Leave comfortable spacing between the countertop and barstools. As a rule of thumb, an 18" clearance is comfortable to get in and out of the bar stool.
Bar Seating Height?
The seating height is another important design consideration in a bar. Bar stools or chairs usually come in three standard seating heights - short, counter, and bar height. Counter height barstools are rarely used in restaurants. Additionally, some chairs and barstools are available as extra-tall options although these are also rarely found in restaurants. Typically, you should keep a gap of around 10 to 12 inches between the countertop surface and seating height, and therefore, each stool height is appropriate for a particular countertop height. Some of the most popular seating and countertop heights used in restaurants are:
|
Type of Bar Seating |
Bar Stool Height |
Countertop Height |
|
Short Height |
16”-23” |
28”-33” |
|
Counter height |
24”-27” |
35”-39” |
|
Bar Height |
28”-33” |
41”-43” |
|
Extra-Tall Bar Height |
34”-40” |
44”-47” |
What are the Benefits of Bar Seating?
The benefits of dedicated bar seating in your restaurant are manifold, some of which include:
1. Help You Gain Extra Profits:
As a restaurant owner, you thrive to increase your sales and profitability. Since the margins on drinks are higher than food dishes, a bar in your restaurant gives you the perfect opportunity to increase revenue with better profit margins. By giving your guests a chance to order drinks along with their meals, your profits will surely go up. Most importantly, by having bar seating, your restaurant attracts new customers.
2. Affordable Seating Option
The best thing about bar seating is that you don't have to spend a fortune on them. Contrary to your belief, padded bar stools are economical yet durable alternative to restaurant chairs. How affordable, you ask? Well, you can get a backless, metal frame bar stool with a vinyl seat for as low as $57. Affordable, elegant, and sleek bar stools are the perfect way to jazz up your dining area.
3. Not Limited to Indoor Space
Another thing that goes for bar stools is their versatility. High-quality, weather-resistant bar stools have an easy-going vibe to grace any patio. From a vintage look to the artistic or minimalistic design, outdoor bar stools can make your patio as interesting and unique as your restaurant. Durable bar stools that can withstand extreme weather conditionsare available in several materials like aluminum, molded plastic, natural teak, faux teak, etc.
4. Gives Your Restaurant Expanded Dining Capacity:
As stated before, a bar area was designed as a gathering place in a restaurant where diners could hang out while waiting for their tables to become ready. Bar areas, and therefore bar seating, have expanded to become additional dining areas in many restaurants. So if your dining area is full but your bar seating is open, you can avoid turning away customers who can't wait by seating them in the bar to eat. Some restaurants have even created separate, limited bar menus available only those seated in that area. Configure your restaurants bar area and seating in the way that suits your particular customers taste the best.
What are the Pros and Cons of Bar Seating?
Pros:
- Higher seating capacity
- Welcoming for solo diners.
- Makes your restaurant's dining area look visually appealing and vibrant.
- Creates a relaxed and cozy ambiance
Cons:
- Bar height may be uncomfortable to get on and off for some customers
- Backless bar stool designs are not comfortable for longer periods
How to Maintain Bar Seating Furniture?
Investing in bar seating furniture is a one-time affair, but maintaining its top-notch appearance requires prolonged effort. Here are some general tips on the maintenance of your bar seating furniture:
- For outdoor or patio bars, exposure to direct sunlight causes the furniture to lose its sheen and strength. You can either go for umbrellas or shades while planning your outdoor bar seating.
- Inspect metal parts like joints, bolts, and screw periodically. If you notice any wear and tear or looseness, repair/replace them instantly as they might lead to loss of strengthandaccidents.
- Wipe down any stains as soon as possible and dry with a soft cloth. Create a maintenance schedule for your furniture to extend its durability and lifespan.
- Avoid dragging while moving bar stools. Lift them instead.
Additionally, follow these material-specific tips for bar stools:
1. Vinyl: Vinyl is one of the most popular materials for bar seating. Although it is quite durable, it requires regular care and proper cleaning to ensure it lasts. Wiping down the vinyl seat with a damp cloth and mild soap solution is all that is needed most of the time. Make sure you don't use oil on the vinyl seat as it might harden the material.
2. Wood: For wooden bar stools, water or moisture can be your biggest enemy. Use a dry cloth or soft brush to dust the bar stool. Make sure to dry fully after cleaning so the water doesn't harm the wood.
3. Metal: With metal-frame bar stools, you must be careful about corrosion. If you notice any scratches or exposed areas, lightly sand the surface and apply a fresh coat of paint.
Where to Buy Bar Seating Furniture?
At Missouri Table & Chair, we offer commercial grade heavy duty bar stools in various designs, colors, and materials. With over four decades of experience in making commercial furniture, our elegant yet sturdy bar stools can withstand the lifestyle of any busy restaurant. From bar stools with or without backs, with or without arms, wood, or metal frame, our large inventory offers the perfect solution at the best prices and unbeatable warranty.
FAQs
Q: How much space should be between seat and bar?
A: An 18" clearance between seat and bar is comfortable enough to get in and out of the bar stool.
Q: What is the best bar seating dimension?
A: The standard bar stool height is the best and most popular bar seating dimension. It seats your guests at 30 inches height and goes with the 42 inches countertops. Similarly, best bar stools have 16”-18” width for comfortable seating.
