In restaurants, the tables and chairs are the single most used feature in the entire building. Hundreds of guests may come in and out of your doors each day, constantly occupying, leaning on, and bumping into your tables. This is why tables and table bases in restaurants may need to be replaced on a fairly regular basis. Especially if you started with lightweight or lower quality materials.

Today, we're going to take a closer look at the top 5 signs why your restaurant tables could use new table bases.

The Tops Wobble Independently

When a table base is attached to the table top, everything should be perfectly stable. The base should sit flat on the floor and the table top should be level and immovable. Any wobbling is a problem, but not all wobbling comes from the table base legs. Believe it or not, one sign that you need a new table base setup is if the table top wobbles on it's own. This can reveal that the top plate is bent, that the screws in the top plate aren't tight, or that the top of your table base has been bent with time. This is a particular risk for top plates made of lightweight metals like pressed/ stamped steel or aluminum. The most solid material for top plates is cast iron. JI Bases can show you more about cast iron vs. stamped steel here.

If the top is no longer secure because of loose bolts or its contact with the top plate, check the actual top plate itself.

• Is it still flat? Test without a top attached and a bubble level or even a "square". This may indicate that the column is bending or that the top plate is warped
• If you notice the welds around the stamped steel plate and the column, a replacement is definitely in order since if one weld is broken, it's a matter of time before the three or four other spot welds will break
• JI Bases' cast iron top plates have 8 points of contact (some only have 4) so there's less likely to be an issue even if one of the bolts works itself loose

Table Bases Don't Stand Flat

While there is a limited number of solutions for an uneven floor (one of the most common reasons that a table base wobbles), there are several helpful ideas to help compensate for it. Whether you have table legs, or pedestal bases your restaurant needs a solid foundation underneath those tables. The JI Base comes with easy-to-adjust manual glides that are neat, easy-to-clean around, and give your staff the ability to adjust for inconsistency in your flooring.

Clean up with mops or vacuums is easy as there is no hydraulics that can leak, or springs that can catch mopheads and leave your floors looking worse than when you started. Don't let your customers guess how many sugar packets it might take to level out those wobbles or watch them twist and turn them to find that "sweet spot"!

The Bases are Too Scuffed to Polish

Many restaurants pride themselves on gleaming, shiny table bases to create a bright and trendy accent to the decor. A common problem with shiny table bases is that they smudge, scuff, and scratch with unfortunate ease. And they come into contact with hundreds of different customer shoes over the years which put that shiny finish in constant peril.

While you can polish the smudges and some of the scuffs, chips and scratches in the finish can't be polished away and will eventually lower the visual appeal of your restaurant if left in place. The black wrinkle (powder coated) finish of JI Bases' cast iron and the brushed silver finish of the stainless steel bases have stood the test of time and prove to be a winner for both clean-up and longevity of our finish materials.

You Are Constantly Adjusting 

Wait staff or the floor manager are supposed to be able to lightly adjust the screw-in feet to keep any table base  firmly. Many have switched to the so-called "self-leveler" style of glides. But there are inherent issues that JI Bases has found over time with most choices, and so we just don't recommend them.

• Many lift the base higher off the floor which can allow a guest's feet to sometimes get caught under the base plate causing a tripping risk
• Some have springs that after just a few months of use are rendered useless because the springs give out
• There are types of leveling "systems" that use hydraulic fluids (usually petroleum-based) that can easily begin leaking, again causing a guest safety issue.

However, if you find yourself adjusting tables over and over again to stop the constant wobble, whether because of uneven flooring, or some other issue, a new table base may be the best possible solution. You may, however, be concerned over needing a minimum order amount. Never fear, at JI Bases there is never any minimums! We can supply 1 or 1,000 (or more). 

A Well-Placed Table is Not Level

It's important that your diners have a flat surface on which to eat and hold their conversations over. A recent poll (yougov.com, 2019) found that 68% people will not return to a restaurant if their table is wobbly. And, a second poll (toast.com, 2018) shows that 77% of people who visit and have a wonderful dining experience (including food, service & table selection) will tell their friends of the visit and recommend that they visit too. 

If you find that people complain about a wobbly table, rest assured that they're concentrating on something other than the excellent cuisine that you're serving. If it's that one nagging table and you've managed to move it into a corner, dreading that it might be used on a crowded Friday or Saturday date night, think about replacing it. 

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Does your restaurant need new sturdy table bases? For more information about cast iron pedestal table bases with lifetime warranties or to talk about the right table base solutions for your restaurant, contact us today!