Start the new school year with a bang!  Install new cafeteria seating and watch your student’s eyes light up with excitement and school spirit.  Bright colors and functional designs will bring a smile to your students’ faces and help keep your cafeteria organized and orderly.

Carroll Seating Company has a long history of serving both public and private schools with the best quality products like cafeteria seating.  However, you don’t have to be an educational institution to benefit from the first-rate service we offer!  Your staff café or restaurant will get the same quality experience that we give our schools.

Here are a few items to consider when choosing cafeteria seating, no matter where you place it!

Durability

Whether your table will be used by preschoolers or adults, it needs to last.  If you’re investing in it, it should be a good value.  A bargain isn’t a bargain if you have to replace it right away!  Choose based on quality and you’ll always get your money’s worth.  Look for study bases that won’t fold under pressure.  Opt for tops that will stand up to daily use.

Ease of Use

Since those tables and seats will be in use every day, they need to be easy to use.  If your seating takes a long time or is too difficult to set up or break down, it will cost you in man hours.  You need to think of the safety of your staff, too.  Heavy, hard to use equipment is a danger.

Mobility

Most cafeterias don’t have the luxury of being a “single use” room.  Many have to double duty as meeting rooms, gymnasiums or classroom space as well as a food service area.  Your cafeteria seating needs to be mobile if your space is doing multiple jobs.  Make sure it’s easy to move and stores compactly.

Update your cafeteria for the new school year and you’ll see just how much it improves your space. Learn more by visiting Carroll Seating in Kansas City or call us at 816-4712929 today.

Whether you are preparing to re-outfit a school cafeteria, the staff kitchen in an office building, or a large scale eating area of a hospital, you have to consider many different variables in order to make the wisest selections for those you intend to serve.

Keeping Things Clean One of the biggest concerns that we have expressed to us over and over again, as clients prepare to renovate eating spaces, is cleanliness. After all, one wants to be sure that the investment made isn’t going to be destroyed by the hundreds of hands and mouths that will be hovering about their surfaces. Carroll Seating has made an effort to choose the sleekest, harder surfaces, in order to ensure that you, the end user, are able to quickly and efficiently wipe them down at the end of the day.

Ensuring Comfort A clean surface is great, but when people are forced to essentially sit on top of each other, or must hunch over in order to reach the meal before them, the experience is far from enjoyable. It is important to get enough seating to accommodate the rush that will come through at the busiest part of the day. Furthermore, be sure that you carefully look at the seating height, to be sure that a person will be a comfortable level in comparison with the table top.

Maximizing Space While you don’t want people sitting on top of each other, and you want to be sure that you have enough seating for rush hour, you also don’t want to overcrowd the area, so people aren’t able to easily navigate through the room. Rather than cutting back on seating, consider the various table options and how those can be mixed and matched to maximize the space.

Maneuverability Carroll Seating has served many clients who are determined to have their furniture bolted to the floor, but before you make the decision to invest in that sort of permanent arrangement, carefully consider the space. Will this area ever be needed for some other type of function? For instance, school cafeterias can often multifunction, providing space for after school activities, special gatherings, or summer planning sessions. It is often nice to be able to fold up tables, stack chairs, and clear the area so it can be used for these others reasons. Many of the seating options are built to stay put, so there is no worry about a chair being picked up, moved or abused. Yet, these same pieces can be easily folded and maneuvered up against a wall or into storage, if the space has to be temporarily reconfigured.

Durability And, last, but certainly not least, when it comes to selecting new cafeteria furniture is the durability factor. The longevity of a piece is important when it comes to protecting the bottom line. While you can get very cheap furniture pieces, it is often worth investing a little more up front. There are many options that will last decades with very little care, which means that this one time investment can save you a great deal over the long term.

Carroll Seating, located in Kansas City, KS has been specializing in customized cafeterias for over 60 years. To get started, call us today at 816-471-2929 or visit us online at https://www.carrollseating.com//cafeteria-seating/

 

Palmer-Hamilton Cafeteria Solutions: The Right Choice

Local Cafeteria Seating Company for Schools and HospitalsSchool cafeterias must serve many roles these days. They’re no longer simply spaces for eating and socializing in the middle of the day. Now they often serve additional purposes outside of lunchroom meals. In some cases, they must be storage space. In others, they serve as additional classroom space. With so many different roles to play, the right solutions for storage, seating, and more are a must, and when you need the perfect cafeteria solution, there’s only one name we recommend – Palmer Hamilton.

Innovative Beauty
Even in cases where cafeterias are just used to serve food, setting the right tone for students is essential, and good furnishings can do just that. Palmer Hamilton has a unique corner on the market there. Their tables and food court style seating isn’t just useful for the multi-functional needs of today’s cafeterias, but it’s also absolutely gorgeous. Eye catching and durable, it’s all completely customizable, so adding logos to the tables that feature mascots and motivational quotes is never a problem.

A Variety of Options
The other real benefit of Palmer Hamilton is the number of options available to schools. The traditional cafeteria tables are certainly a choice, and there are a range of possibilities there. From standard bench tables to a variety of shapes and those that come with stools, standard cafeteria tables don’t have to look quite like they once did. If you need something a bit different like food court style seating, Palmer Hamilton can help there too with booths, free standing tables, and even comfortable lounge furniture for a corner area of your cafeteria.

What’s going to work for your school cafeteria? We can help you find the right solution. With our design services and Palmer Hamilton’s catalog of options at your fingertips, we’ll create the perfect space to reflect the needs of your school.

How Can You Spice Up Your Food Court? Think Tables!

Looking to create a stronger food court area? Whether you’re in a school setting, a large office complex, or a retail location, the food court can be the center of what you do, but sometimes you need a little spice to create that perfect atmosphere, and believe it or not, the tables you choose actually have an impact. Here are a few aspects you may want to consider.

  • Height: Not all tables have to be the same height. In fact, a mix of traditional tables and bar height tables may actually help to make your space a bit more interesting. It offers those sitting in the area added choices, creating an area they may come back to again with varied groups of people.
  • Size: The physical size of the tables in your food court area matters as well, particularly if you’re in an office complex or a school setting where very large groups of individuals may want to sit together on a routine basis while in the area. Keep in mind, though, that you don’t necessarily want to create a huge family size area. It’s essential to have spaces for both small and large groups alike.
  • Color: Sticking with that wood finish isn’t any fun! Food court tables can not only come in all shapes and sizes, but in lots of different colors as well. Imagine spicing up the school cafeteria with tables meant to match the school colors. From bright yellows to dark burgundys, if you can dream it up, the chances are good you can get a table to match. You may even be able to go with more creative options like customized table tops to reflect your company logo.
  • Durability: Remember that while the appearance itself is certainly going to be an important addition to your food court, you should always shop for options that offer you a higher level of durability so you’re not replacing your new tables in just a matter of months.

Replacing your current set up with newer tables is certain to have an impact on your current food court. Contact us today to learn more.

 

Just a decade ago, the mall food court was the single best place to be at almost any time of the week. Unfortunately, that equation is changing fast, and the world of shopping malls may never reflect the once great stature it had for years. While a few malls have managed to survive the tough times, finding the secret that will keep your mall alive isn’t going to be an easy task. One thing that will certainly help, though, is creating a fun, social atmosphere within your food court. These tips can help.

Contemporary Tables and Chairs: The right place to sit is one of the most important things you can provide for your mall guests, and the tables and chairs you choose have a lot to do with that. The lunchroom style seating of yesterday just isn’t going to work in this environment any longer. Instead, go with comfortable, bright choices that will make customers feel like they should be there again and again.

Mall-food-courtBanquet seating: Mall food courts can be great places to hold events as well. From children’s birthday parties to mall store employee events, offer some group gathering spaces that may help to attract a bit more business to your mall, then don’t forget to advertise it.

Bar Seating: Some customers just want to get in and out of the mall quickly while grabbing a bit to eat, and that’s where bar style seating can really come in handy. Make certain you provide plenty of options like these to help not only make the most of your space, but also to give consumers plenty of choices too.

Vertical Landscaping: Don’t just think tables and chairs as you redesign your food court. Instead, think about the atmosphere too. Lots of light is a must and potted plants may prove helpful as well. You may even want to go with a water feature, a fireplace, or even a small stage for local bands.

No matter which choices you decide to integrate into your environment, the key is getting guests to linger as long as possible. The more they want to stay in your food court, the more likely it is that they’ll want to revisit the mall again and again, and maybe make a few purchases while they’re there!

 

There are lots of great brands when it comes to cafeteria and folding tables, but few could be as dynamic as Mitchell. With the phenomenal ability to offer more seating in areas you previously thought limited, Mitchell is the way to move forward.

The Mitchell Advantage

Mitchell-Cafeteria-TablesOne of the best aspects about Mitchell is that the company is wholly focused on designing solutions to real situations. Their designs are nothing short of ingenious in most cases, and the craftsmanship is certainly completed with durability alone in mind. Mitchell initially got its start in 1896 in the world of dairy equipment, but with the World War II efforts, they patented a folding table design that has long since enhanced and improved cafeterias like yours everywhere.

Your Options with Mitchell

If you’re thinking Mitchell, get ready for some real options. If you’re just interested in the tables themselves, you can choose from a number of shapes and sizes, all of which fold to give you the flexibility you need throughout your facility. Want tables with attached seating? That’s an option as well. Like their non-seating counterparts, they come in the perfect configurations to meet your needs, but they’re just as durable as any other choice on the market. Their full line of ConverTable benches offer movement from a table with seating to a bench in an instant. The classic folding leg tables work well anywhere, not just in your cafeteria. The wall mounted systems they have come with a Sur-Lock system that help to increase security in a multi-purpose room.

Lots of Choices

No matter which line you choose to move forward with, you’re going to get the choices that will make your selection perfect. Choose sizes, laminate color, edge treatments, and even table and bench top material choices.

If you’re in the market to change the face of your cafeteria, Mitchell is easily one of the best brands to consider.

School cafeterias haven’t always been pleasant places. From second rate food to uncomfortable seating choices, just the mere word cafeteria invokes all sorts of problem memories for most people. The world is changing fast, though, and with it, the school cafeteria is shifting too. Could yours actually be inviting? Absolutely, and these simple changes could help.

Cut Down On “Mass” Anything

Tiger-Cafeteria-Carroll-SeatingFrom eliminating a single lunch choice for students to dumping the long tables where every single kid has to sit together day after day, get rid of the idea that cafeteria time at your school has to involve a singular, drone-like experience. Imagine going to your favorite fast food restaurant, standing in a very long line to receive a tray of food that looked just like every other patron’s, then being forced to sit next to every other person dining in the restaurant. You wouldn’t stay long, would you? As you redesign your school cafeteria, try to make it mimic the experience you might want while you’re eating. Put a couple of cashier stations out there. Add personal tables, booths, and other seating areas to give the students a chance to socialize with their friends.

Spice Things Up

One look at any school cafeteria menu, and you’ll see that things have changed over the last few decades. With choices like fajitas, pepperoni pizza, and even meatball subs. If a menu can have lots of dishes to please a variety of palates, can’t your décor be just as pleasing? Add student artwork to the picture. Throw in some creative portraits of your mascots. Choose a theme and throw in some 3D artwork to help really add to the feel of the cafeteria.

Don’t Overlook the Details

Sometimes it’s the tiny details that can change a cafeteria environment for the better. A new flooring choice may brighten things up. Helpful condiment stations may give students better access to what they need during a lunch period. Simple choices like planters can help divide up student seating and create a calmer atmosphere.

You want lunch time to be just as productive for your students as class time, and a few simple changes like these can help.

School cafeterias are unique places these days. You have to ensure a solid traffic flow so students can get through the serving area in time to eat, but you also want to make it an inviting place for every student. The standard industrial look just doesn’t do it these days. Our work with Plaza Middle School was an excellent proving ground for us. After all, there are no tougher critics than twelve and thirteen year old kids. Plaza Middle School, Carroll Seating

What We Did
We were asked to come in and provide every inch of the design work. For us, this meant creating a cafeteria seating layout that worked for students and staff, coordinating existing food service equipment into a layout that breathed efficiency, and looking at things from a “that’s cool” standpoint so students would really love the new lunchroom.

On that front, we created a custom laminated focal wall behind the service line itself, came up with an amazing railing system for the kids to line up at, developed custom logo graphic tables, and added durable custom artwork pieces throughout. The crowning jewel, though, was the eye catching school logo’s Tiger Eyes soffit that is actually backlit to make the eyes pop out at students. 

The Results
Students and staff alike love the new space. It’s an environment students actually want to be a part of. We managed to combine their mascot and important themes to the school to help amp up student pride a bit, and because we used school colors throughout, it helped to personalize the space. 

The lunch hour is one of the only times each day students can easily interact with friends, and that’s an essential life skill too, so we created intimate small group sections and booth seating for students to help invite students in. The booths and clustered seating area give it that fast-food feel students are so accustomed to, and we managed to meet all of the ADA seating guidelines in the process of our design work.
cafeteria seating, Carroll Seating
Middle school kids are tough critics, so we were nothing short of surprised at all of the positive feedback we got with this project. Now if our own kids would only think we were that cool.

Whether you stop by a local fast food joint or you’re having a seat at that hip little bistro down the street, you may see more communal tables than you ever have before. Not familiar with the concept? They usually seat up to sixteen people, and the benefits can be enormous. In a world where online communities are quickly becoming everything, promoting actual communities through seating like this is certainly not a bad idea. It can help regulars sitting near each other get to know one another by passing the salt and pepper shaker, and it may help them feel more at home. It can also keep people in the area longer than you’d imagined, which may mean additional profits.

Thinking about going this route with your food court seating? You may want to consider the following:

  • Make certain the table works with the dining space itself. If you’re doing a retrofit, you need to carefully consider traffic flow and the actual spacing. Communal seating means larger tables than normal, so think carefully about layout before you go with communal tables.
  • Think about your customers. Communal tables don’t work well in every setting. Big tables may mean louder conversations, particularly in the food court setting. That may even be disruptive to others, so consider customers before you make your choice.
  • Table height matters. You can get community tables in both the high topped variety and the more standard size, and finding the right one to meet your needs may take a customer survey. In most cases, something standard will work best, but a bar-height can also work well.
  • Don’t forget about lighting. This is a big concern in the case of retrofitting an area with communal tables. You’ll need fairly specific lighting for the table you choose. If you don’t make that consideration, you could certainly end up leaving it in a light void. Communal tables can work in a food court seating area, but make certain you carefully consider them before you install them.

Communal tables can work in a food court seating area, but make certain you carefully consider them before you install them.

Look Modern
Whether you manage a cafeteria, help run a school, or even run a business with many employees, “keeping up with the Jones” is a very big deal. While completely renovating a building to make the architecture modern would most likely be far too uneconomical to pursue, there is indeed a different way for you to make your facility shine to both visitors and those who attend it or work at it: a change in seating and furniture. 
Cafeteria seating, Carroll Seating
This is certainly a way to keep with the times without breaking the bank, and the furniture inherently can make a bold statement about the type of atmosphere you wish for your building to have. 

Get a Cozy Feel
The last thing most visitors to a new building want is to be forced to sit in old, hard chairs. This feels far more institutionalized than any recreational furniture should be. Fortunately, we have a solution for you! 

Don’t keep your old furniture and allow your patrons to suffer! Rather, have one of our consultants come take a look. We can recommend any of a variety of our professional and endorsed seating to make your atmosphere be as appealing and accommodating as possible.

Save Money
Seating arrangements in many buildings are not nearly as economical as they could be. If you find that you are often running out of seating for your clientele, chances are you feel that you’re in a crunch. While you need for your customers to sit comfortably, you most likely would not like to take out a loan to completely remodel. 

Luckily, we can also make custom seating arrangements for you. These can be very ergonomically sound chairs that are arranged in a more compacted fashion, but feel far more comfortable to your patrons than your old seating.

In this fashion, you save money while making your patrons feel far more comfortable. Rather than needing to remodel, you can simply buy new furniture that spruces up the atmosphere, makes it more physically comfortable, and saves you money! In the end, the situation is a win-win, no matter what your perspective is!

Drew Gough, Sales

Drew Gough,  Sales email our team
Drew graduated from Vermont Technical College in 2017 with an Associates degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. With brief experience in small Architectural and Civil firms in the Portland Maine area, Drew later settled in Hussey Seating Company for the past 5 years. Drew joined the CSC sales team in November of 2024 covering the state of Iowa as his sales territory. Drew has a strong technical background and is very passionate about the products he sells. He believes that a thorough understanding of the products combined with open communication with all parties is the key to success in this industry. Outside of work, Drew enjoys fitness related activities, being outdoors, attending concerts, and spending time with his wife, Emily.

Levi Curtis, Project Manager

Levi Curtis,  Project Manager & Estimator email our team
In my free time I enjoy hunting, fishing, and working on our farm with my sons.  My wife and I enjoy traveling and the chaos of the boy’s youth sports.

Tammy Winship, Accountant

Tammy Winship,  Accountant email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Kelli Brandon, Project Manager

Kelli Brandon,  Project Manager & Estimator email our team
When not at the office I enjoy painting, baking, and spending quality time with my three grandkids.  .

Mandy Kohlbrecher, Project Manager

Mandy Kohlbrecher,  Project Manager email our team

Mandy Kohlbrecher is a Senior Project Manager and Senior Estimator for Carroll Seating. She is from Trenton, IL and attended Art Institute (Chicago) and Rankin Technical College.

When she joined Carroll Seating in 2013, she brought 10 years of design experience in interiors and architecture to the team.

Eddie Scheer, Sales

Eddie Scheer,  Sales email our team

Eddie Scheer is Carroll Seating’s Regional Director for Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois.

He was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, a die-hard KU Jayhawks fan and graduate of the KU School of Architecture and Design. He has been with Carroll Seating over 11 years and prior to that time,  he served clients for 23 years as an architect.

Dustin Hecht, Project Manager

Dustin Hecht ,  Project Manager email our team
Dustin is a life-long woodworker with a passion for crafting. When he's not in the workshop, he might be found tinkering with cars or hitting the links for a round of golf. Dustin is a family man, happily married to Courtney, and together they have two daughters.

Mike Yager, Sales

Mike Yager,  Sales email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Doug Mead, General Manager KC and STL

Doug Mead,  General Manager KC and STL email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Jordon Lanning, Repair & Service

Jordon Lanning,  Repair & Service email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

John Underwood

John Underwood,  Warehouse Manager email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Jacob

Jacob Allen,  Rproject Manager & Estimator  email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Connie Gillam,  Repair & Service

Connie Gillam,  Repair & Service  email our team
When out and about I enjoy spending time with my husband Michael and our 5 grandkids.

Brock Christopher,  Sales

Brock Christopher,  Sales email our team
On the weekends and during the evenings, a majority of my time is spent playing soccer with my 7-year-old Kade or working on various projects with my 12-year-old Kael.  During the fall you can find me doing anything related to the KC Chiefs or Mizzou Tigers.

Stephanie Vogl,  R&S Admin

Stephanie Vogl,  RS Admin email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Suzi Johnson,  Project Accountant

Suzi Johnson,  PM Coordinator email our team
I have spent most of my life in Illinois. I enjoy traveling and taking photos. I need coffee to function. My life revolves around my fur child, Norman.

Dineen O’Keeffe,  Project Accountant

Kevin Morkin,  Insurance / Warehouse email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

Dineen O’Keeffe,  Project Accountant

Dineen O’Keeffe,  Project Accountant  email our team
I enjoy spending time with my family. 

Sarah Maynes,  Project Manager/ Estimator

Sarah Maynes,  Project Manager/ Estimator  email our team
When I am not at work I enjoy baking.

PJ Carroll

Ludwig Hoeft,  Project Manager / Estimator email our team
Bio Coming Soon!

PJ Carroll

Sam Shapiro,  Project Manager  email our team

Sam is a safety trained supervisor of construction whose experience ranges from factory to field.

He enjoys hiking, road trips, and rock concerts.

Mike Gillam

Mike Gillam     email our team
GM of Athletics & Director Repair& Service
My life outside of the office consists of trips to remote locations and spending time with my family and five grandkids.  I love the Lord and doing His work.

PJ Carroll

Patrick J. Carroll,  President  email our team
Pat has been a dedicated member of the Carroll Seating Team since he joined full-time in 1977, after earning his bachelor’s in business from the University of Kansas. He initially gained hands-on experience as an installer during high school and college. In 1998, he was promoted to President, bringing extensive knowledge of both fixed and movable products to the role and focusing on promoting the features of CSC’s vendors for mutual success.  Outside of work, Pat cherishes time with his family, which includes the love of his life Suzy, their three children and four grandchildren. He enjoys golf, fishing, yard work, home projects, and entertaining, always striving to make the most of each day. 

Alexander Klopp

Alexander Klopp  Sales   email our team
When I am not in the office I enjoy my life in the western suburbs as a Husband of 30 years, father of 2 adult children and an active member in our local Presbyterian church. Passions include family adventures with one-of-a-kind experiences.

Tim Haggerty,  Sales  email our team

“When I am not working, I like to enjoy time with my family living an active life style that includes, live music, sporting events, golfing, fishing, and skiing.” 

 

Evan Carroll, Owner/Project Management email our team

Evan Patrick Carroll, following an internship from 2003- 2005, joined as full-time sales in 2008.

Tom Madura,  Controller  email our team

Outside of the office, I love spending time with my wife, 3 kids and our dog!  My hobbies include playing golf and practicing guitar which I keep working at. 

Meredith Pollard (Carroll),  General Manager  email our team

Meredith graduated from the University of Kansas in 2010 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Minor in Business. 

After pursuing a brief retail career, she joined CSC as a full-time employee in March of 2011. Originally hired in sales, Meredith found her fit in the company was better off in Management. She was promoted to the General Manager of the Chicago office in 2018. As General Manager, she believes that a motivated workforce is the foundation of success, and actively promotes collaboration, open communication, and skill development among all employees and believes that a successful business is built on strong relationships—both with clients and team members.

When not at the office, Meredith enjoys her life in Roscoe Village, downtown, with her husband Mike and son Cameron. 

PJ Carroll

Patrick J. Carroll
President

Patrick Carroll, Jr. assumed the positions as President, in 1998.

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