A banquette looks simple, but a few inches in the wrong place make it uncomfortable to sit in or awkward to serve. These are the dimensions we work from when we build restaurant banquettes and booths in our shop. Treat them as typical starting points, and confirm final numbers with your designer, your table supplier and local code.
Seat height
Standard dining seat height is about 18 inches from the floor to the top of the compressed cushion, with a usual range of 17 to 19 inches. Because upholstery compresses, we set the frame height based on the foam you choose. Dense commercial foam compresses less than soft residential foam.
Table height and seat-to-table clearance
Dining tables are usually 29 to 30 inches high. That leaves about 11 to 12 inches between the seat and the underside of the tabletop zone, which is what makes a banquette feel right at the table. Counter-height seating (tables around 36 inches) needs seats around 24 to 26 inches.
Seat depth
A comfortable upholstered banquette seat is typically 18 to 20 inches deep from the front edge to the back cushion. Deeper seats suit lounges and bars; shallower seats keep guests upright for dining. Overall bench depth, including the back and its rake, usually lands around 22 to 26 inches.
Back height and angle
- Standard back: about 34 to 36 inches from the floor to the top of the back.
- High-back booths: 42 inches and up, for more privacy and sound control.
- Back angle: a slight rake, often around 10 degrees, is more comfortable than a straight vertical back.
Width per guest
Plan about 24 inches of seat length per person, with a range of roughly 22 to 30 inches depending on how generous the room should feel. A booth for two is often about 48 inches long; a booth for four is usually two 48-inch benches facing a table around 30 by 48 inches.
Table placement
The table edge should overlap the front of the seat slightly, often by a few inches, so guests don't have to lean forward to eat. Pedestal bases and wall-mounted cantilever bases make it easier for guests to slide in and out of a banquette.
Toe kick, base and lighting
A recessed toe kick of about 3 to 4 inches at the base protects the finish from shoes and lets guests tuck their feet under. It is also a good place for integrated lighting: at Cantina Pedrigal we built LED lighting into the banquette bases.
Accessibility
In the U.S., the ADA Standards generally require that at least 5 percent of dining seating be accessible, with dining surfaces between 28 and 34 inches high and knee clearance underneath. Plan accessible table positions along a banquette early, and confirm requirements with your architect or local building department.
Curved and custom banquettes
Curved banquettes follow the same comfort numbers but need more planning: radiused frames, bent or kerfed substrates, and upholstery patterned to the curve. We have built curved dark-stained banquettes with leather upholstery for Cantina Pedrigal and rounded seating on radiused white oak bases for Little While in San Diego.
Planning a banquette?
We design, build and upholster custom banquettes and booths in our shop in Rancho Cordova, California. See our restaurant banquettes and custom restaurant furniture pages, or send us your plans.
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