Since cafe tables take up the most space in your cafe and are one of the first things that customers see when they come through your doors it’s important to make the right choice. But how do you choose a cafe table? What should you be looking for? We’ve put together a quick guide to assist you when choosing new cafe table tops for your venue.
Size
It makes sense that before considering the material and colour of your table tops that you determine what size you’re looking for. Most ranges come in a variety of sizes which is always helpful if you want to mix and match sizes for different seating areas.
The size of top you choose depends on how much space you have to work with, the type of food that you’re serving, and the amount of customers you want to be able to cater for. For most cafes, a table size of 700 mm should be more than large enough although you might want to include some 600mm table for two sizes, to fill any awkward gaps or recesses.
Square or rectangular tables are usually the best choice because they can be pushed together to make larger tables for groups. Of course, if you have the space, you can always include a communal table for groups.
Materials
First of all, can we just say that besides choosing which material you want for your tabletops the most important thing is to only buy those that are intended for commercial use since domestic table tops will not withstand all the rigours of a bustling cafe.
Basically, there are two main choices for your tabletops – solid wood and particleboard surrounded with a melamine or laminate face. Don’t be concerned that the latter may not be sufficiently durable, because that is simply not the case. Our Isotop table tops, for example, are amongst the most durable cafe table tops that you’ll ever find and have the look of a wooden top at a fraction of the price.
Heat resistance
Do you really need tables that are heat resistant? When it comes to wooden table tops or laminate ones, while they can withstand warm plates, as a rule of thumb if the late is too hot to be held in your hands then it’s too hot to place straight onto your table tops. Wooden table tops may be hardwearing and durable but they will mark if you put something down on them that is too hot. If you don’t want to use tablecloths then we suggest that you use placemats on your table surfaces.
The exception to this is our Isotop table tops which are able to withstand plates straight from the oven and which can also withstand damage from smouldering cigarettes.
Maintenance
Another consideration is the cleaning of your table tops. If you have a high turnover then you want tables that can be quickly wiped clean in between customers with nothing more than a damp cloth and gentle cleansing spray. While this works well with laminate and Isotop table tops, the same can’t be said for wooden table tops which may require regular staining and varnish to help them avoid marks and stains from regular use.
If you’re in need of new cafe table tops then look no further than Cafe Chairs Melbourne. We stock a wide range of table tops in a variety of shapes, sizes, patterns and colours. Best of all, they’re currently discounted by 20% so you can save yourself some money too. Why not browse our online store or visit our showroom in Brendale to check them out for yourself?