Dealing With Unexpected Obstacles

Undoubtedly, there obstacles will arise when planning your restaurant seating. The key to overcoming these challenges is to keep an open mind. Don't become so engrossed in the details of your design when focusing on the bigger picture may be more of an asset. Also, work with your furniture provider to come up with solutions to any problems that may arise.

As a commercial furniture expert, I have witnessed many instances where the process of purchasing and installing furniture has not gone as planned. From the contractor building the bar 3 inches higher than the plans specified, to the hassle of matching existing, possibly discontinued, furniture, the first place to ask for help is always the furniture supplier where you plan on purchasing your new furniture. Hazelwoods Restaurant Furniture in Phoenix offers many custom options and will work with you to make your experience as easy as possible.

Sales people are always looking to make a deal, so when things go wrong, they will do everything in their power to fix it. This can be to you advantage. When the bar was built 3 inches too high, Hazelwoods customized a bar stool for that particular restaurant. They added an additional 3 inches to the legs of the stool. When a franchise restaurant needed to replace some of their furniture, the sales staff went to extreme lengths to match the stain of the wood and find the fabric so the new furniture would match exactly.

Waiting Area Furniture

Restaurant furniture is not only about providing a comfortable space for eating, but also for waiting. You are likely to have customers come in before you have a table ready for them. In these cases, having a comfortable waiting area is a good idea.

If a restaurant does not have a waiting area, patrons waiting to be seated are left to their own devices to find a place to wait. Generally, people will wait in the middle of a foyer or right in front of the hostess stand, blocking other guests from leaving and entering the restaurant. This makes for an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience for everyone involved.

In order to solve the problem of crowding in the entry way, place benches along the walls of the foyer. Or, another option is to set aside a small portion of the dining room or an area near the entrance to the restaurant for a few small cocktail tables and chairs. This gives your guests a place to comfortably begin their dining experience in your restaurant.

Outdoor Furniture: Materials That Make Sense

Restaurants with outdoor seating may find that their patios can be a great asset. Patios may seem unnecessary, but in reality, they provide more dining space, and in turn, more revenue. Outdoor dining does have one drawback, however, and that is that the elements can severely damage your furniture, costing you money to repair or replace it.

There are certain materials that hold up better to weather conditions than others. Obviously metal is going to last longer than wood, and plastic will last longer than wicker, but there are certain steps that can be taken to ensure a long life for your patio furniture, regardless of material.

+ Metal has a tendency to rust when used outdoors so one way to fix this problem is to paint the metal, or have a clear coat finish applied. This will keep the metal from being exposed and prone to rust, keeping your furniture nicer longer.

+ Wood can warp and fade when exposed to the elements so it is not always the best choice for outdoor furniture. However if there is no other option, cover it with a thick polyurethane lacquer that will protect it from moisture and heat.

+ Plastic may become brittle if it gets too dry so try to keep it in the shaded areas of the patio, or if possible, place misters strategically around the patio to keep it slightly moisturized.

+ Wicker is generally thought of as an outdoor material, but it also can become brittle if it gets too dry. Make sure to keep it moist and if necessary, wipe it down with a furniture polish.

For more information visit Hazelwoods.

Easing Restaurant Congestion

Restaurants have a tendency to become clogged and congested with furniture. Often owners and managers attempt to fit as many seats as possible into the dining room without leaving much room for servers and guests to easily move around the restaurant. The crowding of tables and chairs is unnecessary as there are ways to maximize the seating capacity of your restaurant without causing discomfort.

Consider placing booths along the walls of your restaurant. Booths and banquettes are an excellent way of providing versatile seating. Because benches do not have distinct seats, more people can fit. They are also a way of providing seating for different sizes of guests. Several children can easily share the same space an adult would take up therefore reducing the clutter that chairs can create.

Place tables on the diagonal. When tables are at an angle, the chairs do not back directly into each other. Whether there is actually more space between the tables or not, having tables set at an angle provides the illusion that there is more space and gives your guests a more comfortable dining experience.

To view options for table and booth design, visit Hazelwoods.

Following the Trends in Restaurant Furniture

Restaurant furniture trends can be difficult, if not impossible, to predict. There are several reasons for the tricky nature of restaurant furniture trends.

First, themed restaurants follow their own rules when it comes to restaurant furniture. Themed restaurants already know what their look is going to be. They know that people are visiting their restaurant for an over the top experience that may include costumes, music, as well as unusual or unique furniture. Furniture that would not necessarily be appropriate for a more subdued diner, may be found in themed restaurants.

Secondly, many restaurants aim to provide a cultural experience. Regions from all over the world are represented in restaurants and diners. Not only is the food representative of the culture, but the decor of the restaurant is too. Different patterns and colors will be used in restaurants that want to convey a cultural reference than in other restaurants.

Lastly, there are thousands of styles of restaurant furniture, many of them subjective. What one person thinks is interesting and unique, another may regard as distasteful and garbage. From classic wood chairs to contemporary metal chairs, the range of style is immense. Booths can be custom made to enhance any design theme, while table tops come in a virtually limitless array of colors and patterns.

To view styles of furniture that may enhance your restaurant, visit Hazelwoods.

The Importance of Quality

You may wonder what the big deal is about restaurant furniture. Can't you simply find cheap chairs from any furniture place? The answer is no.

Some furniture is made specifically for restaurants. There are certain specifications that accompany commercial grade furniture. Commercial furniture is much sturdier and long lasting that the furniture you would buy for your home. Have you ever had slats fall out of your home dining chairs? Or wobbly legs on your table? These things can be easily fixed in a home setting, but in a public restaurant, the quality of your furniture must be top notch. It may not seem like a big deal, but to a customer dining in your restaurant, a wobbly table or chair can be a huge annoyance. Take care to always check your furniture for safety and reliability. You do not want chairs breaking as patrons take their seat or tables tipping over because of unstable bases.

Visti Hazelwoods for many quality furniture choices.

How to Minimize Furniture Costs

Sticking to a budget is crucial to the success of any start up or existing business. In the restaurant business, keeping track of expenses is imperative to a smoothly running establishment. Obviously, you want your business to run smoothly without any financial stresses. Unfortunately, very few of us can ever be completely free of financial obligations so here are a few tips to minimize the costs you incur when purchasing restaurant furniture.

1) Look at different finish options. A wood seat may be more economical than an upholstered seat because it takes less labor to manufacture. If you are set on having cushioned seats, look at different fabric and vinyl options. Different grades of material have different prices. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons before choosing the cheapest material, however, as you may be forced to replace your furniture more frequently if you are too cheap.

2) Ask the supplier about clearance furniture. Often items are discontinued by a manufacturer and the stock on hand needs to be sold quickly. One thing to keep in mind when buying discontinued furniture is that when it is time to replace it, you are not likely to find the exact same chair. Again, weigh the pros and cons.

3) Buy in bulk. Sometimes suppliers will cut a deal if you buy a certain quantity. Try to furnish your entire restaurant at once, and not replace furniture on a rotating schedule. Also, if you have outdoor dining, purchase your patio furniture at the same time you purchase your dining room furniture. The larger your order, the less you spend per piece on shipping and freight charges as well.

To find quality furniture at low prices, visit Hazelwoods.