More dining topics - table or booth and the history of booths

Cafe Society
1

We always get a booth. More privacy. It just seems nicer. The only exception is when I take several of the grandkids out to eat and a larger table is best. My son has 8 children. 7 of them are girls. Their dining room table at home looked like something from a White House gala. Once me, my son and 6 kids went to eat. The place had large booths but I think they were intended for 6 people. Without any hesitation all of them just slid in - 4 on each side. They were totally used to it.

Which begs the question - when did booths get added to the tables in taverns or restaurants?

2

I would think booths would be a natural development from the weird-ass pub bench that used to be everywhere. See “Nudge nudge” (Python) for what I’m talking about.

3

According to this website it’s an ancient practice:

4

I favor booths because they’re generally easier on my back than the chairs at tables in restaurants.

5

Booths can be awkward if you’re in the middle and you need to get out; someone needs to move to let you out.

6

A friend of mine used to be a restaurant hostess - she found out the hard way that some large people don’t fit in booths. She was mortified.

7

We prefer sitting at the bar if that’s an option. If the bar is full, no preference for table/booth.

8

I don’t like restaurant booths. I have a relatively short torso (and relatively long legs), and I generally find that I sink into a booth cushion such that the table is too high. (A hard bench is usually better.) And if I’m in the middle I get claustrophobic.

So I much prefer tables with chairs. My dining partners, however, often prefer booths. But sometimes restaurants have half-booths where one side has a booth bench, and one side has a chair. That is the best of both worlds, except that I then often have to face the wall—but it’s still better than being crammed into a booth!

9

“Always sit with your back to the wall.” - Tony Soprano.

10

Booths can be too small, Occasionally too large also so that you can’t get close enough to me table on botg sides. Another variety is a large round table with a half circle of a bench around it. Just to hard to get in or out of those middle seats.

11

I also don’t like booths for the reasons others have stated. Some of them are made for fat people. Being normal size, I can’t get close enough to the table.

12

Booths are definitely preferable, as my wife is a long-time back patient, and most chairs are really uncomfortable for her. Makes the choice really simple when going out for dinner, and I scrub places off our list if the booths are hard/uncomfortable.

13

We always get a booth. It’s my husband’s preference. I don’t really care one way or another.

14

As I’ve grown older I’ve become better padded. Unfortunately, that padding isn’t on my sitting parts, so I prefer seating that is better padded. This usually means booths, as Murikan restaurants often seem to prefer uncomfortable chairs.

15

The question really is when did restaurants begin using booths?

It wasn’t until mid 20th century. Even taverns used tables or picnic bench seating. I don’t know when the very first set of booths appeared, but two trends overlapped at the beginning of the century: the lunch wagon, which set up outside of factories to serve workers at lunchtime, and the railroad dining car. The first lunch wagons were more like the food truck of today with no interior seating, but evolved into fancier permanent locations. The dining car typically had two rows of tables.

At some point, maybe even before WWI, some dining cars replaced a line of tables with booths. The idea caught on. Although the romantic idea is that diners were repurposed old dining cars most were specially made for the purpose. Here’s one from the 1920s.

Booths definitely started in less expensive restaurants yet you see them today in most restaurants including high end ones. Apparently most people love booths.

Here are a few of the most common reasons:

Comfort: Booths are typically more comfortable than chairs, with padded seats and backrests. This is especially important for people who are eating a large meal or who have been on their feet all day.

Privacy: Booths provide a sense of privacy that tables do not. This is important for couples or groups who want to have a conversation without being overheard by other diners.

Coziness: Booths can feel more cozy and intimate than tables, which can be a plus for people who are on a date or who want to have a more relaxed dining experience.

Comfort: Booths can seat more people than tables, which can be helpful for restaurants that are expecting large groups.

Capacity: Booths are typically more comfortable than chairs, with padded seats and backrests. This is especially important for people who are eating a large meal or who have been on their feet all day.

Style: Booths can add a touch of style and personality to a restaurant. With a variety of upholstery and design options available, there is sure to be a booth that will match the style of any restaurant.

16

I note that the booth style with the half circle booth with outside chairs seems to be a fixture of gangster movies. It’s a great way for the hero to confront the mobster sitting amongst several pretty women.

I’m pretty sure I have been seated in one but I can’t remember where. It seems to be a style in high end restaurants with a lot of room.

One thing I don’t like about booths is that if I drop something there is no freakin’ way I can get it out unless I have my cane.