Finding the best place to sit as you look forward to a nice restaurant meal with a special someone or your family, can be a challenging task.

Do you prefer the corner tables where privacy is given but you might be far from the service areas?

Or do you like the place close to the kitchen, which is noisy but has some commotion around you?

The best seat can be more strategic than we think and there are numerous restaurant and psychology facts that one has to consider here.

Here is all you need to know about finding the best seat at the restaurant.

Seating Dynamics

A survey showed that more than 60% of people visiting a restaurant prefer booths and ask for a private area before settling for tables and chairs. These results show that privacy and comfort top all other preferences when eating out.

The survey also revealed that a restaurant with a great outdoor view from its windows can charge almost 40% more and people are happy to pay. This fact shows that restaurant visitors want a table near the window, from where they can get a good view of the surroundings.

Furthermore, if the restaurant has loud music, many visitors leave early and if the ambiance is welcoming, quiet and cozy, the guests tend to stay for longer and keep replenishing their drinks. Environmental psychology shows that high noise levels increase stress and people do not enjoy the food when their surroundings are loud.

However, if the music is low and there is chatter around a table, people can enjoy their meal more and may even sit longer to enjoy the commotion without playing on their nerves.

Outside View

As mentioned earlier, the outside view is a great feature for restaurants but what if the view is not a garden or the cityscape but a noisy street where passersby can take a peek at what you are eating?

Sociological research shows that 70% of restaurant goers like to see the entrance from their table and prefer a seat that offers a view of the whole restaurant hall in front of them. Moreover, people prefer a table that does not allow others to view them while eating.

Psychologists suggest that the need to be able to watch others while nobody can watch you comes from the innate desire to know the environment well while keeping yourself private.

Proximity to Kitchen and Wait Times

Restaurant analytics indicate that tables in the center of the hall receive food the fastest while tables far from the kitchen and service area get their orders a little later.

Moreover, servers tend to be around the middle part of the hall, which means that if you call someone, they will come sooner if you are sitting in the middle of the hall. If you are seated in a corner, it might take a few minutes till you get the attention of a server.

Interestingly, a Cornell study showed that because you get your food faster if you sit close to the kitchen; people seated on these tables tend to eat 10% more calories than those seated farther from the kitchen. This study may be accurate because everyone likes to eat fresh and hot food, which might finish soon and may even allow the guest to order more.

Post Pandemic Preferences

Ever since the pandemic, many restaurant visitors have developed a habit of preferring a table that is far from the crowd.

If you are seated far away from everyone, there is less chance of any viral spread and that also means that you tend to enjoy your meal more. When people are comfortable that they are safe, they can enjoy their meals more.

Many people prefer tables and chairs because they feel there is less surface that they can touch, which keeps them safe. Booths and seating arrangements with large armrests and seats may cause anxiety among some guests about the cleanliness and sanitation of the restaurant.

Keeping this factor in mind, we can assume that the tables and chairs at the far end of the restaurant seating must be more in demand nowadays since people have become more conscious about a clean environment.

Moreover, since the central tables are used more, a guest walking into the restaurant may suspect that a lot of people have used the tables before and therefore, they might not be clean.

The Perfect Spot

When you go to a restaurant, the initial idea is to enjoy the company and the food. Selecting a table far from the central part of the hall is a good idea and if there is a window, which offers a great view, you find the best spot!

The majority of restaurant customers avoid sitting near the window if it allows passersby to look at them directly. However, if you have company and want to look outdoors, the table near the window can be a great place.

A table positioned at the optimal distance from utility zones like the restrooms and kitchen can be a great way to avoid unnecessary and unwanted smells, noise and smoke.

If you are with a big group of people and you are seated near the central tables, your order will not take too long.

Conclusion

Picking the best spot in the restaurant can be a strategic decision. Moreover, there are personal preferences attached to this choice.

If you are an individual who prefers a quiet corner with a great view from the window, you will love the corner tables with adjacent windows. However, if you are a party member accompanying many people, you might refer to a place where service will be faster.

The majority of people like privacy and comfort and therefore choose tables far from the kitchen and restrooms.

What is your favorite place in the restaurant? Try out the different spots and you will realize some facts about yourself! Every sitting area can be interesting but we all pick our preferred spots based on our liking.

If you're a restaurant owner and looking for the best stools, chairs, tables or booths, Chair Up can solve your problem.