Restaurant Table Design Ideas for Style & Safety

Whether it’s a small neighborhood bar or a large fine-dining establishment, the right kind of tables are crucial to any restaurant. If they’re stylish, comfortable and safe, they can dramatically improve the dining experience for your customers. Finding the right options can be tricky. Below are some factors to consider when choosing the best restaurant table designs for your dining area.

NOTE: This article includes measures and designs to meet new guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please consult the CDC for the latest health as well as federal, state and local entities for full guidance.

Types of Restaurant Tables

When you begin laying out or reconfiguring your restaurant’s floor plan, remember that the dining area and bar should include a mix of different types of tables. This lets you accommodate a wide variety of parties, whether its two people or two or a large group*.

Common Table Shapes

• Rectangular restaurant tables – Rectangular tables are ideal for four or more people. However, there are two-person options available to encourage more space for face-to-face discussion.


• Square restaurant tables – Square tables are best for small parties of 1-4 people, allowing diners to sit at a space that is intimate but still spacious.


• Round restaurant tables – Available in small and large sizes, round tables let each person see each other comfortably as they dine.

Common Table Styles

• Banquet – Used for banquet halls, party rooms or family dining concepts, banquet tables are designed to hold at least 8 people.


• Bistro – Bistro or two-person tables accommodate achieve a more intimate experience. They usually are positioned on the outer edge of a floor plan, allowing the larger tables to be spaced more toward the middle.


• Booths – Booth tables help create a private setting for diners. Booths come in options that can either be freestanding or secured to a wall, and their sizes vary from small, two-person tables or large tables that can be used to create a row of booths with chairs on the opposite ends.


• Four-person – Four-person tables are arguably the most popular option in restaurants because they provide flexibility to a floor plan. One four-person table can seat 2-4 people comfortably, and two of these tables can be pushed together to seat a party of 6-8 people.


• High-top – Also known as bar-height tables, these tables are found at bars. They’re secured to a tall base and use barstools or other high seating. Depending on size, most high-top tables typically accommodate 2-4 people.


• Outdoor – These are made for patio dining. Unlike some interior tables made of wood or stainless steel finishes, outdoor tables are made out of cast iron, aluminum or wicker to handle the elements. Some other outdoor restaurant patio ideas include tables with openings for umbrellas to shade customers.

*Due to regulations related to COVID-19, state regulations may limit the number of parties per table until further notice. Please consult your local ordinances and officials for proper guidance.

Restaurant Table Spacing & Safety Measures

With coronavirus and social distancing measures playing large roles in restaurant table designs, you need to consider factors like spacing and safety. Prior to social distancing requirements, most dining establishments spaced tables, chairs and aisles at 10-14 sq. feet per customer, according to Seating Experts. That only means an average of about 3.16-3.74 feet apart per customer.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that there should be at least 6 feet, or 2 arms’ length, between people to maintain proper social distancing. Based on the old rule-of-thumb above, you would need to double the spacing between each customer to ensure they’re at least 6 feet apart. This might require you to remove seats from a table to accommodate these regulations. For example, a banquet table that used to hold 8-10 diners, might only hold 4-6 diners until further notice.*

If you can’t create enough space across the table for proper social distancing, consider adding tabletop partitions or sneeze guards. These plexiglass shields range from 20-30 inches in height and can be installed in the middle of the table.

*Due to regulations related to COVID-19, state regulations may limit the number of parties per table until further notice. Please consult your local ordinances and officials for proper guidance.