Published: 28 April 2015

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: School seating

Food court seating is all about maximizing seating space without compromising personal space. It’s not an easy task, even for a professional designer. If you’re an industry outsider tasked with planning a break room or similar space, it can seem overwhelming at first. Trust a professional company like Carroll Seating to teach you the rules of food court seating.

Be practical.

The choices in a catalog can look amazing. Professionally photographed tables and modular seating arrangements can really make an impression. However, the shiny pictures might not be at all what your space needs.

Multi-functional pieces in modular designs will give you flexibility. If you space will be multi-use, you need your items to serve in a few different capacities. Even if the space is dedicated solely to food service, you may need the furnishings to grow or shrink with your population.

Be aware (but also beware) of trends.

Those pictures likely feature the newest color, texture and styles. That’s great for choosing an up-to-date feeling. You don’t want your space to be dated before it’s completed after all. Pick up on all the design trends, learn what’s hot now and what the projections may be and then take a step back.

Being on-trend now mean you’ll be out of style eventually. Your space needs a certain amount of timelessness in order to maintain a comfortable feeling and look. It shouldn’t be dated right away but maybe you don’t have to use every new trend either. Talk to your consultant to get a feel for looks that last.

Stay on budget.

It never pays to overpay. Set a budget and stay within the confines you’ve chosen. Your sales consultant can help you make the most of a budget of any size so make good use of their knowledge.

Carroll Seating has more than 60 years of experience helping people create spaces just like yours. Let us show you what we can do for your space.

Published: 16 September 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

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.

Published: 1 April 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

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.

Banquet 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!