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The Anatomy of a Restaurant Booth

Let’s take a look at the anatomy of a restaurant booth, or in other words, what are the different parts of a booth and what are your options as a restaurant owner. 

Can Your Restaurant Booths be Customized?

Yes. Ask your commercial furniture supplier about customizing your booths. First, you will have to pick the general design that you want and select the materials. After that, you can ask your supplier about making changes to suit your restaurant design, your budget, and most importantly the size of your restaurant.

The Different Parts of a Restaurant Booth

  • Top Cap: The top strip of wood or upholstery that runs along the length of the back of the booth. It is usually about 4-6 inches wide. If you have double booths that can be separated and moved apart then your top cap will be twice as wide (the top caps from both booths are positioned back to back).
  • Back: The all-important backrest which provides comfort for the customer. The height of the back determines how much privacy your booth provides. On simple restaurant booths the back may be wooden but for comfort opt for a padded foam cushion.
  • Head Roll: If you have a wooden back then you can add a strip of foam cushion for the head along the upper part of the back for customers to be more comfortable when they lean back. And if the entire back is cushioned the head roll is simply a continuation of the padded backrest.
  • Crumb Strip: Where the seat meets the back cushion a strip is left open which means the back cushion and the seat cushion don’t touch and don’t provide a place for dirt and crumbs to collect. You know how coins, crumbs, and keys can fall down between the seat cushion and backrest of a sofa? Well the same would happen in restaurant booths if they didn’t have a crumb strip. As the crumb strip is open it is easy to clean and remove anything that falls between the cushions.
  • End Cap: The side of the booth facing out towards the aisle. It can be made of wood or it can be upholstered in the same material as the rest of the booth.
  • Cushion: When foam is placed under the seat and backrest upholstery a cushion is formed. 
  • Skirting: Below the seat cushion is a skirting that is usually upholstered and padded similarly to the seat. The skirting touches the back of the customers’ calves when they are seated.
  • Base: Below the skirting is the booth base. It is the foundation of the booth, a solid structure usually of wood and not upholstery. In some booth models, the base might be hollow and used for storage. In other designs, the base might be replaced by short wooden or metal legs.
  • Toe Kick: Below the base of restaurant booths is an area where the customers will usually put their feet. This is the area that some customers will kick and put their shoes against as they sit. The toe kick is to prevent the upholstery or base from being scuffed. 
  • Welt Cord: Piping around the edges of the cushion and back upholstery. The welt cord adds style and can be added in different colors. Why not have red cushions with white welt cord. But it also serves a practical function and reinforces the cushion seams.

Take into consideration that not all booths are created equally. Some booths do not have all the elements listed above. For example, you can get booths without a crumb strip, or with short wooden or metal legs instead of a base. If you have opted for diner-style booths that are completely made of wood without any cushioning or padding then the booth will not have the plush elements listed here. But it is important to remember that you can always get your restaurant booths customized and alter various elements of the booth structure.

Adding Style To Standard Booth Designs

Even if your budget doesn’t allow for extra elements or bespoke booths you can still make your restaurant booths stand out by choosing unique colors and materials. If you order a standard booth you can select from a palate of colors and from different materials for the upholstery. Every restaurant deserves booths that blend with the overall décor and you can make this happen with a few clever choices when ordering your restaurant furniture. Ask your supplier about customization and about mixing and matching different booth design elements.

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