school cafeteria seating Archives - Carroll Seating Company

Published: 19 January 2016

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Categories: Cafeteria and Food Court Seating

Food court and cafeteria furniture sure has changed a lot in the last few years, hasn’t? You probably remember the old, rickety long tables with uncomfortable seats in your school cafeteria from when you were a kid. Things are a lot different in lunchrooms these days, though, where the focus has shifted to making comfortable socialization a top priority. If you’re planning on updating your cafeteria or food court furniture to this more modern style, use the buying guide below to assist you in the process.

Consider the space. The most basic consideration here is the size of the room, and the size and quantity of the tables and chairs you’re thinking about. Obviously, you need to make sure that the dining furniture will fit in the room without it becoming overcrowded. At the same time, you’ll want to maximize the space, fitting in as many seating options as comfortably possible.
How will the flow work? Another factor in choosing table type is how it will work with the flow of the dining space. Think about how you want to arrange the tables and chairs. Will it be rows of long tables, or clusters of smaller, round tables? Make sure that people will be able to move about the space freely, and that the type of furniture you choose won’t impede that.
Think about your customers’ (or students’) needs. First of all, is the furniture going to be in a space where it’s okay if people linger, or will they be eating in a hurry? Attached stools can be good for the latter situation, where people can quickly get up and down and aren’t slowed down by moving chairs in and out. Conversely, detached chairs are a more comfortable option, so if you want people to sit and enjoy food and conversation, separate chairs may be the better choice.
Aesthetics matter too. Make sure that whatever type of food court or cafeteria furniture you choose is visually appealing and complementary of the overall style of the space. Clashing designs can make for an uncomfortable and unattractive dining environment.

Published: 30 June 2015

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Categories: Cafeteria and Food Court Seating

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/

Published: 15 April 2014

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Categories: School seating

If you’re like many school districts these days, getting the most from the equipment you already have on hand is an absolute priority. The numbers just aren’t there to continually buy new equipment, and students today are anything but gentle with what you already have. Nowhere is this more true than in the cafeteria, but is there anything you can really do to extend the life of your tables and chairs? Absolutely.

Proper Adjustments: One of the single most important things you can do to get the most out of both your tables and chairs is to make certain they’re properly adjusted. While most are well adjusted when you initially order them, over time, movement, cleaning, and misuse can often put them at risk. If they continue to be loose, wobbly, or a poor fit, you will start to notice deterioration, and that can only lead to replacement in the long run. Make certain your maintenance staff knows how to perform the right adjustments to your tables and chairs, and if they don’t, contact the professionals for help.

Cleaning Procedures: Not every surface can be cleaned using the same chemicals. Some surfaces demand the gentle touch of soap and water, while others can take a much rougher scrubbing. Know exactly what can and cannot be used before you start wiping down the tables after lunch. You’ll save the surface of the table as well as quite a bit of money in the long run.

Immediate Repairs: If something is wrong with a table or chair, make certain your maintenance staff addresses it immediately. Having students sitting in the chair or at the table will not only cause further problems, it could also be a safety issue. If you’re not sure how to address a repair, bring in a technician who can help.

Whether you need new cafeteria tables and chairs or you require repair services, Carroll Seating is here to help with the services you need most. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 12 December 2013

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: School seating

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

From 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.

Published: 9 July 2013

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Categories: Bleacher seating

Is there anything worse than the idea that you might have to eat in the school cafeteria? It’s a dreaded thought, but today’s school cafeterias aren’t the long, hard bench seats of yesterday. These days you can find pub tables, coffee stations, even bean bag chairs in the cafeteria, making it one of the coolest places to be. Wondering how to inject that same feel of safety, calm, and fun into your school’s cafeteria? Here are a few more tips that can help.

Use Every Inch of Space: The space is already there, so why not use it? If there’s a spot where an automated drink station might fit, add it in. Have a space next to a booth for coat hook? Go ahead and add those too. Make certain your design makes use of all of the space available to you.
Balance Durability with Style: Administrators often look toward durability over everything else, and while durability means cost effectiveness, it can also mean discarding style. Don’t do that to your students. As you choose seating, flooring, and more, find the perfect balance between the two. You clearly don’t want to replace everything in two years, but you do want to find something that doesn’t feel quite so industrial.
Get Creative: Looking for some real insight into perfection? Ask your students. Consider a design contest where the winner gets to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony. You could even provide your math and art teachers with a curriculum where students can learn something while considering the layout of the new cafeteria. Students know what they want, but they don’t always know what’s possible. Look to them for a bit of structured guidance, and you may uncover ideas you’d never considered.

The school cafeteria can be a great place to get together, chat with friends, and reconnect, given the right surroundings.