Hotel Furniture SupplierGuides & resources for hotel operators
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Furnishing a hotel restaurant

One room that has to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Banquette seating that seats more people per metre than anything else, the spacing and routes that keep the room legal and workable, and a table mix that joins and splits between services.

Guide 1

Banquette seating dimensions

The seat height, depth, back height and table overhang that make fixed seating comfortable, how a banquette is built, and the fire, wear and hygiene standards it has to meet.

  • Seat 450–480 mm compressed, 450–500 deep; 300 to table underside
  • Table overhangs the seat by 50–100 mm; 600–700 mm per diner
  • Full build or cushions to your carcass; plain, fluted, buttoned or bolster backs
  • BS 7176 medium hazard; ≥40,000 rubs or leather on seats
Read the full guide
Section through a restaurant banquette and table showing seat height and depth, back height, table height, overhang and the clear aisle in front Dimensions in mm; wall on the left seat depth 450–500 back 900–1200 overall (booth to 1600) Table 720–760 overhang 50–100 300clear seat 450–480 800–1000 clear aisle ≥900 (1200 accessible route) Banquettetoe kick 80–100 Loose chair
Guide 2

Table spacing and layout

How far apart tables go, the routes that must stay clear, escape widths with fixed seating, and how to zone one room for three services.

  • 1070–1520 mm edge to edge; service aisles ≥900 mm
  • Accessible route ≥1200 mm; 1500 mm turning spaces; 700 mm knee clearance
  • Escape widths per Approved Document B; fixed seating to BS 9999 seatways
  • 1.5–2.0 m² per cover including circulation
Read the full guide
Plan of restaurant tables showing edge-to-edge spacing where chairs back onto each other, service aisle width, an accessible route and a turning circlePlan, to scale. 700 mm two-tops with chairs pulled out.1070–1520 edge to edgeservice aisle 900accessible route ≥1200 clear of chair backs1500 turn
Guide 3

Choosing a table mix

Buy tables for the extremes and make the middle by joining: sizes by cover, bases that allow joining, tops that survive three services a day, and chairs to BS EN 16139.

  • 600 mm of edge per cover; 700 squares as the workhorse
  • Twin-pedestal or cantilever bases on joining tables
  • Tops tested to BS EN 12720–12722; HPL or contract-lacquered timber
  • Chairs to BS EN 16139 (2025), upholstered to BS 7176
Read the full guide
Plan view of typical table footprints for drinks-only and dining use, drawn to the same scaleDRINKS ONLY2600 mm round3–4700 mm round2600 mm squareDINING2700 mm square4900 mm round41200 × 750 mm61200 mm round61700 × 750 mm Drawn to scale. Allow 600 mm of table edge per dining cover.
Products to consider

Typical pieces for a hotel restaurant

Fixed and loose seating, bases and tops from Forest Contract's contract range; screens and panelling from Hafferty Interiors.

Bespoke banquette seating

Banquette & booth seating

Built to your drawings or survey; plain, fluted, buttoned, bolster and curved backs; storage options.

View on Forest Contract →
 Restaurant chairs and tables

Dining chairs

Side, arm and stacking chairs tested to BS EN 16139, upholstered to BS 7176 medium hazard.

View on Forest Contract →
 Table base

Table bases & tops

Dining, twin and cantilever bases with laminate, veneer and solid tops in joinable sizes.

View on Forest Contract →
 Fluted panelling and screens by Hafferty Interiors

Panelling & screens

Fluted and slatted panelling behind banquette runs, timber screens between zones, servery joinery.

View on Hafferty Interiors →
Restaurant with banquette seating by Forest Contract
Featured supplier · bespoke fixed seating

Banquettes and booths made to your drawings

Forest Contract build bespoke fixed seating for hotel restaurants, bars and cafés from CAD drawings, floor plans or a site visit — a full build, or seat and back cushions to your own carcass — alongside dining chairs, stools, bases and tops. Trade only, made in Salford.

Request a brochure & quote See banquette options
Oak slat feature wall and painted panelling by Hafferty Interiors
Featured joinery partner

Panelling, screens and servery joinery, made in Manchester

Hafferty Interiors design, manufacture and install bespoke commercial joinery — the fluted panelling behind a banquette run, the timber screens that close a zone at dinner, host stations and bar fronts — with their own installation team.

Commercial interiors
Suppliers & standards

Where to buy, and what the standards say

Featured supplier

Forest Contract

Banquettes and booths, dining chairs, stools, bases and tops, contract fabrics. Commercial Interiors UK member, UK manufacturer.

Restaurant furniture range →Restaurant case studies →Get a quote →
Featured joinery partner

Hafferty Interiors

Bespoke panelling, screens and commercial joinery, designed and made in Manchester.

Commercial interiors →hafferty-interiors.co.uk →

Standards & compliance

What a hotel restaurant has to meet.

BS 7176 — upholstery fire performanceBS EN 16139 — seating strengthApproved Document M — routes, tables and countersApproved Document B — escape widths and fixed seatingFSA — food hygiene ratingsCommercial Interiors UK — the trade association

All industry resources and standards →

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