Just like restaurant chairs you need to pay attention to the bar stools you choose for your restaurant. Many restaurants have a bar, either for drinks or for customers looking for a quick meal, and a casual place to have their dinner. Other, more casual eateries have a counter where customers can pull up a counter stool for a quick meal. But whatever type of eating establishment you have, there are a number of important things to remember when choosing restaurant bar stools.
Your Bar Stools Should Compliment Your Restaurant
Bar stools should be in a style, material, and color that matches the rest of the restaurant decor. If you have a high-end restaurant perhaps choose an upholstered bar stool with armrests. If you have a casual diner where the rest of the restaurant furniture is plastic, then simple backless metal or wooden bar stools will do. If your restaurant has limited floor space, consider getting bar stools with a swivel seat. This way customers can just swivel around to stand up, and they don’t need extra space to push the bar stool away from the counter.
Put Comfort First
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that restaurant bar stools are not the same as “bar”, bar stools! In restaurants, customers may sit on a bar stool by the counter to eat an entire meal, so it needs to be comfortable seating. There are many options and styles of bar stools, some of them more comfortable than others. You need to consider whether your customers are coming for a quick meal or whether they will be sitting on the bar stools for a longer period of time. Getting bar stools with a backrest can make a world of difference. Unlike bar stools in a bar, restaurant bar stools with back support and a footrest will encourage customers to linger and enjoy a longer meal.
Size Counts
Bar stools are used by customers eating their meals at the bar, or counter. So your restaurant bar stools need to be at a comfortable height so customers can reach the eating surface. Before you go bar stool shopping, measure the height of your bar. Also decide whether you want your bar stools to fit under the bar, or whether you have enough space for the stools to stay pulled out. If you’ve chosen bar stools with armrests you need to be particularly careful about matching the height of your stools with the height of the eating surface. If the bar stools are too high and with armrests, your customers might not be able to get close enough to the bar to reach their plates.
Think Function
You could have the most beautiful bar stools in the world, but if they are difficult to clean, and not stain resistant they will soon become unattractive and dirty. Choose bar stools made with materials that can be easily wiped down if there are spills and accidents. If you’ve opted for upholstered bar stools, consider getting the seats covered in vinyl rather than fabric to make them easier to clean. You also want to choose materials that will last a long time. If the bar stools are unstable and made of weak, lightweight materials, they will break easily and get damaged.
Quality Materials Make Long-lasting Bar Stools
Restaurant bar stools can be made of wood or metal, or a combination of both. The basic material of the bar stool can then be stained, varnished, or painted to suit your decor. As long as you buy quality restaurant bar stools from a reputable commercial furniture supplier, each of these materials is a good choice, depending on your style of restaurant.
- Metal Restaurant Bar Stools – Very durable, affordable, easy to maintain, and functional. If you opt for aluminum bar stools they are excellent for outdoor seating.
- Wood Restaurant Bar Stools – Slightly more expensive and less durable than metal bar stools, but they add warmth to a restaurant. Wooden bar stools go well with rustic, country, and natural decor.
- Combination Restaurant Bar Stools – With a sturdy metal frame, and a comfortable wooden seat and backrest, this kind of restaurant bar stool is often the best choice.