Every new restaurant or established restaurant that is refurnishing its space needs to work according to a budget. Ask yourself what furniture you need in the restaurant, and then ask what is the best quality furniture you could get with the budget you have. Careful planning is essential if you want to fill your restaurant with good restaurant chairs and tables but still not find yourself spending money you don’t have. There is a wide variety of tables and chairs across many price points. Remember when we talk about “cheap” chairs we’re talking about the cost, not the quality.
Must-Have Restaurant Furniture
There is certain furniture that a restaurant cannot operate without. The minimum furniture for a restaurant is tables and seating. Seating could be chairs, stools, benches, booths, or banquettes. Tables could be communal, individual, or countertops.
Budget Restaurant Chairs
Choosing your restaurant chairs can be a challenge. You want them to be practical, attractive, comfortable, and fit into your budget. Here are a few examples of low-cost quality restaurant chairs.
- Metal: The double-braced metal folding chair can be customized to fit your restaurant’s aesthetic. It comes in black, beige, gray, and red, and costs less than $30. These chairs are great for casual restaurants and when you need chairs that can be folded away.
- Wood: The wood folding chair with a padded seat has roughly the same design as the double-braced metal folding chair except it is made from wood, and has a padded seat. It can be customized to suit the rest of the furniture in your restaurant, and the wood can be stained mahogany, natural, walnut, or white. These folding chairs are affordable at $44 apiece.
- Chiavari: The lowest-priced Chiavari chair is a metal ballroom chair with a padded seat. The seat comes in a wide range of colored vinyl or fabric. This chair costs under $80.
- Stack Chairs: Commercial stack chairs with a 1.5” cushion cost less than $55 and are extremely comfortable as well as practical. The vinyl seat covering is available in about six colors.
- Industrial-Style Chairs: If you’re looking for an industrial-style chair then the metal ladder back chair with three slates is your most economical option at under $100.
- Bolt-Down Chairs: This is not the cheapest option for those on a budget. Bolt-down chairs tend to be more pricey than regular chairs. The most budget-friendly bolt-down chair for restaurants is the X-back bolt-down swivel metal chair at under $155.
- Arm Chairs: Restaurant armchairs are not as expensive as you may think. You can get the window back metal chair with arms for under $100. The metal frame comes in a range of colors. And the seat can be wood, padded vinyl, or padded fabric.
- Patio Chairs: The most economical patio chairs for outdoor seating are the rattan patio chairs made from aluminum. Not only are they durable, and attractive but they cost less than $60 each.
Budget Restaurant Tables
Your restaurant tables must match your chairs, and be the appropriate height. Generally, you can choose your table tops and table bases separately. Here are some of the most budget-friendly tabletops for restaurants.
- Wood Table Tops: Get stunning teak wood table tops and choose the size and shape you want. You can have all your tables in the same material but with different shapes and sizes. These table tops cost $100-$120 depending on the shape and size.
- Laminated Table Tops: Laminated table tops are the easiest to clean, and will probably last you longer than other types of tables. Consider getting reversible table tops with a mahogany finish on one side and a black finish on the other for under $50 (24”x24”). For under $100 you can get the larger size (36”x36”).
- Resin Table Tops: Another durable tough tabletop is the resin table. For under $55 you can get a resin table top that resembles wood grain.
Budget Restaurant Furniture Doesn’t Mean Bad Quality
Even if you are on a tight budget it is vital that you furnish your establishment with the best quality tables and chairs that you can afford. How do you get good quality on a budget? You look for a reliable supplier of commercial furniture. You also look for sales and discounts. Perhaps choose a mix of seating options including more expensive chairs and less expensive booths, or counter stools. You could also buy the minimum amount of furniture necessary, and at a later date, when your budget has grown, you can add to your restaurant furniture. Buying low-quality restaurant chairs and tables is cheap in the short run but expensive in the long run when they have to be replaced frequently.
