Buyer guides
Restaurant chair and table dimensions: a simple guide with real numbers
How high should a restaurant chair be? How much space per guest? Simple rules, plus real measurements from more than 180 wooden chairs, armchairs and bar stools.
Short answer:
- Dining tables are usually 74–76 cm high.
- Dining chairs: designers' rule is a seat of about 46 cm. Most real chairs are 45–49 cm.
- Between the seat and the underside of the table top, leave 25–30 cm for legs.
- For a bar (about 107 cm), choose stools with a seat of about 76 cm. For a counter (about 91 cm), about 58–61 cm.
- Along the table, plan about 60 cm per guest in a casual restaurant and about 75 cm in fine dining.
These are common rules used by restaurant designers (source 1). Below are real numbers from our own range, so you can see what "normal" looks like in practice.
What 180+ real chairs tell us
We measured every chair, armchair and bar stool in the RikoStyle range (source 2). One child's high chair is left out.
| Models | Seat height | Seat width | Seat depth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dining chairs | 99 | 43–53 cm, usually 48 cm | 37–69 cm, usually 46 cm | 35–52 cm, usually 43 cm |
| Armchairs | 66 | 44–51 cm, usually 48 cm | 47–68 cm, usually 56.5 cm | 39–54 cm, usually 46 cm |
| Bar stools | 19 | 65–86 cm, usually 77 cm | 35–54 cm, usually 44 cm | 34–44 cm, usually 41 cm |
"Usually" is the median: half the models are below, half above.
What this means:
- Seat height is very consistent. 73 of our 99 dining chairs sit between 45 and 49 cm. If a supplier offers a chair far outside this range, ask why.
- Width varies much more than height. An armchair is on average about 10 cm wider than a chair. That changes how many seats fit at a table.
How to check a chair against a table
- Measure the underside of the table top, not the top. Tables with a frame (apron) under the top have less space for legs.
- Subtract the seat height. You want 25–30 cm. Less than that, and guests' knees hit the table.
- For armchairs, check the arm height too. Our armchairs have arms at 60–79 cm, usually 67 cm. If you want armchairs to slide under the table when not in use, the arms must be lower than the underside of the table, including the apron. Many won't fit, and that's fine, but the restaurant should know before ordering.
Bar stools: match the counter
Bar stools are the most common mistake. A stool that is 5 cm too high or too low feels wrong to every guest.
- Bar counter, about 107 cm: a seat of about 76 cm. Most of our bar stools (median 77 cm) are made for this.
- Kitchen-style counter, about 91 cm: a seat of about 58–61 cm. That is a different, lower stool.
- Always measure the real counter. Bars are built by hand and heights vary.
How many seats fit?
Plan the length of the table edge per guest (source 1):
- Casual and fast-casual: about 60 cm per guest.
- Fine dining: at least 75 cm per guest.
Then check the chair width. A 46 cm chair fits easily in 60 cm. A 57 cm armchair needs more, so a table for 4 chairs may only take 3 armchairs on the same side.
Tables: the heights we make
Most of our tables at dining height are 75 or 76 cm. We also make lower tables (45–70 cm) and a 110 cm bar table, the London bar table.
Top options depend on the model: solid beech or oak, veneer, or melamine. Melamine is the easiest to clean. Solid wood can be sanded and refinished.
Checklist before you order
1. Underside of table top (cm): ____
2. Chair seat height (cm): ____ -> difference 25-30 cm?
3. Armchair arm height vs table underside: ____ -> must they slide under?
4. Bar or counter height (cm): ____ -> stool seat about 30 cm lower
5. Table edge per guest (cm): ____ -> 60 casual / 75 fine dining
6. Chair width (cm): ____ -> fits in that space?
Find the right size
All our models list their seat height, width and depth. Browse all models and filter by type. Or download the Excel list and sort by any dimension.
Sources
- Grand Rapids Chair, Things Designers Know: Restaurant Chair Height, Table and Chair Distance & More: https://grandrapidschair.com/inspiration/blog/things-designers-know-restaurant-chair-height-table-and-chair-distance-more/. Inches converted to cm and rounded.
- Dimensions as published on each model's page on rikostyle.com, November 2026.
