Part 2:  Weight & design are on the Top 10 List to consider before buying table bases

Last week, we talked briefly about the Style (pedestal, wall-mounted, etc.) and the Type (4-prong, Round, or Stainless Steel, etc.) of base you might like in your restaurant.  The series is built around our infographic (get your copy here) and this week, we’ll take a look at #8 – weight, and #7 – design.

Create an Atmosphere

Creating the right atmosphere is important. It may be one of the most crucial factors. So, you think about what you want your customers to experience when they walk through the door.  Last time we talked about wanting booths with cantilever (wall-mounted) bases, or stand-alone tables with pedestal bases.  But another seemingly unimportant item is the weight of the base you will use to support those table tops.

The weight of your table bases is important. If the table base doesn’t have the proper weight and/or distribution for the size and weight of your table top, the table can’t stand up.  If the base is made from inferior materials, or has a thinly gauged steel column, it will succumb to the top’s weight, not to mention the customers’!

In casting our base and top plates, JI Bases ensures that only superior cast iron is utilized.  Our columns are all 16-gauge (the smaller the gauge, the stronger the material).  A center column that is not 16-gauge is more likely to bend or flex under the top.   

Sight 

What will your customers see? A restaurant concept’s visual effect encompasses more than just the stuff hanging on the walls. Think about how the seating is arranged. Could a party be seated next to the bathroom or busy service areas? If so, either re-think the floor plan or help mitigate the unpleasant distractions from the dining experience.

The idea of design that “in sight it should be right” is paramount.  You wouldn’t want to choose a bolt-down base, if you need to be able to pull the tables together for larger parties.  (Seems like a “duh” moment, here, but you’d be surprised.)  Or, what if you chose a larger rectangular top that seats 6, but don’t have room to pull over a square table for 4 if a party of 8 or 10 shows up.

Accessibility

In today’s fast-paced hospitality business, the table tops available come in all shapes and sizes, and so should your table bases.  We spoke briefly about 4-prong, round, 3-prong, and other styles last week, but using these different styles without consideration for your design-inspired concepts would be a mistake.

Many times these considerations are your designer’s or contractor’s recommendations.  But as a restauranteur or franchisee, you may have more control than you realize, if you know what you’re choosing for your establishment.  Aesthetics are important for your customers.  The whole dining experience includes all the sights, sounds, and smells when they pass through your entrance.

By considering the “top” 10 items on our list, you can make that choice of table bases seem almost effortless or seamless – you might say, invisible.