What makes a piece of furniture better suited for outdoor use versus indoor?

The easy answer is the material, but why does it matter from one material to another what goes outside? It’s all about how that material holds up against weather conditions and how often it is used.

Of course, you can technically place any outdoor chair inside your restaurant and it’s usable. But should you? The answer is no. Much of outdoor furniture is made from aluminum, a softer metal, that is not up to the heavy traffic of being inside a restaurant. Using an outdoor chair inside will lead to replacing your seating way sooner than you would like.

Outdoor furniture is made specifically to hold up to the weather. For example, aluminum is a popular choice for commercial outdoor furniture because it is rust-resistant. Untreated steel does not typically fare as well on patios and will rust when exposed to moisture. Another common example is wood furniture on a patio. It can be tempting to put a reclaimed table top outside, but it is sure to absorb moisture and warp, leaving you out of luck on your investment.

You should always pay attention to these warranties to get the most out of your product when you properly use it. Not adhering to a product’s intended use can void the warranty completely, making it very difficult for you to protect yourself as the buyer if something goes wrong.

When you invest in restaurant furniture, you want it to be reliable and hold up for your customers. This requires action from you as a business owner to use the product for its intended use. By placing furniture where it doesn’t belong, you can damage the integrity of the furniture without realizing and cause injury to your customers. Protect yourself and your customers by knowing the difference between indoor and outdoor furniture and using them properly.

With the temperatures slowly but surely starting to rise, it is time to start thinking about throwing open the doors to your outdoor areas and take advantage of the boost to your restaurant’s profits that comes with additional seating. Before you get too excited, however check on the condition of your outdoor furniture. Does it need repairs? Replacement?

Now is a great time to buy to ensure that you have new outdoor furniture by the time you plan to start serving outdoors. If you are on the search for new furniture, you will be excited to hear that at East Coast Chair & Barstool we have brought in several new lines of outdoor restaurant furniture. With all of these additions, we are sure to have something perfect for your patio. Let’s discover the best fit for your restaurant or bar.

The Palmetto Collection

Island style doesn’t have to be “all tiki all the time”, as shown by our Palmetto collection. A black and white wire reinforced polyethylene weave is wrapped around a non-rusting aluminum frame to give off an upscale beach vibe. With its neutral color palette, this collection looks great in almost any setting.

The frame is hand painted to give it a very realistic bamboo look, but with the added benefit of durability for commercial use that comes with an aluminum frame. Aluminum does not rust, making it ideal for outdoor use in areas with salty air. This collection features a bistro style chair and bar stool perfect for enjoying a night outdoors.

Fiji Collection

The Fiji collection is a modern take on outdoor furniture that makes a statement. All Fiji chair options were designed with comfort and style in mind. Available in two different back styles, your customers won’t mind sitting back and relaxing for hours on end. The Fiji collection features the traditional arm chair style or a club chair. All club chairs come with a tie-on cushion for maximum comfort.

Created using two different materials that are equally sturdy, your toughest decision will be determining which design you like better! This first is a textile rope in a rich espresso brown color that fits right in with any color scheme. The rope features a beautiful weave pattern using several strands.

The second option, is a polypropylene wicker that is more durable than traditional wicker. It is also available in two beautiful colors, an espresso and ash gray. Some give is afforded by the material to provide your customers additional comfort. Even your staff will love this material as it is easy to wipe down at the end of a busy night.

Havana Collection

Reminiscent of our New England and Atlantic collections, the Havana is the latest addition to a series of faux wood outdoor furniture. Who would have thought textured driftwood poly lumber paired with black metal would look so good? Well, we did, and we are so pleased to offer this to our customers.

The Havana collection is the ultimate in outdoor durability. The frame is a matte black powder coated aluminum frame that is rust resistant. While the poly lumber inserts are much more durable than traditional wood. It is waterproof and resistant to mold and insects, as well as being easy to clean. They are easily stackable, making them convenient to store during the winter months.

This collection is the whole package with two bar stool styles, two chair styles, and table tops in a variety of shapes and sizes. You’ll certainly be able to find something that works for your restaurant.

Palazzo Collection

The visual appeal of wicker with the durability of metal. The Palazzo Collection, with its streamlined and squared off design, offers a distinguished look for your outdoor area. The seat and back of this collection uses a tightly woven wicker weave in a stunning espresso that has just enough give to offer your customers some additional comfort. The rust resistant aluminum frame is powder coated in matte black achieving just enough contrast from the espresso wicker.

This collection is easy to store when not in use because it is stackable. With multiple chairs and bar stools to choose from we are confident you’ll find something you’ll love.

 

You really can’t go wrong when you select any of our new outdoor furniture collections. Still have questions? You can contact one of our Customer Care Representatives at 800-986-5352 for expert advice or to start your order!

One of the busiest days in the restaurant industry is fast approaching, and you don’t want to be caught off guard. Valentine’s Day is the second biggest day for dining out, second only to Mother’s Day. A quarter of Americans eat out to celebrate the holiday with their special someone. That totals about 8 billion dollars spent in restaurants across the United States. What restaurant doesn’t want a piece of that? As a restaurant owner, you want to make the very most of this opportunity.

What can you do to make your restaurant stand out among the competition? We’ve gathered together some Valentine’s Day best practices and brainstormed some fresh ideas to help you create a memorable and lucrative night.

Menu

First things first, you need to think about your menu. To make it easier for you and your staff consider offering a preset prix fixe menu, otherwise known as a fixed price menu. It will cut down on wait times for guests and give you a better understanding of what needs to be ordered for the night, helping to increase your profits by lessening waste.

Having a prix fixe menu can also be beneficial for customers. They know exactly what they are getting and at what cost. No unexpected surprises for either of you.

As part of your prix fixe menu, consider including a starter, main course, dessert, and a recommended wine pairing. If you want to go the traditional route, try to incorporate pink or red foods into your menu and a chocolate dessert.

Valentine’s Day can be a great time to incorporate some current food trends into your meals. A little bit of fun experimentation can help to set your restaurant apart from others who might be offering more traditional entrees. Perhaps offering a dessert sampler instead of a complete dessert would appeal to an audience looking for that extra special experience.

Beverages

Altering your beverage service can also be beneficial for the busy day. Make sure to have suggested wine pairings available for guests who might not be very knowledgeable. Also, make sure your staff is well educated on the different wines and specialty cocktails you are offering. Fruit flavored red and pink cocktails are a favorite, but taking a risk could pay off too.  Consider adding a chocolate martini with chili pepper for an added zest.

 

 

Atmosphere

Having the right atmosphere is crucial. Everything other detail can be perfect, but if the atmosphere is off, it’ll still feel like something just wasn’t quite right. Make sure to give your patrons the whole package. Dim your lights a little extra. Take a look at your music for the night and make sure it fits with the rest of your ambiance. Consider reusing those string lights you brought out for Christmas time to create a romantic lighting for your guests, or perhaps some candlelight to dine by.

Reservations

To help the day run smoothly, encourage guests to make reservations early. To encourage reservations, you can offer promotions, such as a free dessert, to those who book ahead. As tempting as it may be, do your best not to overbook. Consider that guests might want to take their time and linger over dinner to fully enjoy the experience. You don’t want a bad review showing up on Feb. 15^th saying that guests had to wait hours, even with a reservation.

 

 

Staffing- Call In the A-team

Make sure that you have your A-team working. Your most experienced workers should be present in both the front and back of house. Valentine’s Day is not the time to try training a new host or waitress. Leave that for the 15^th when the rest of your staff has earned a day off.

Valentine’s Day is all about the specialness. Going above and beyond for the people you love. The restaurant industry is no different. You want your customers to leave feeling that they had the best food, drinks, and service. Take a moment to speak to your staff about the importance of offering an extra special experience. Try to have your most experienced servers working that night. You can trust them to give the kind of service you expect, and more experienced servers tend to be better at up selling a customer.

You can also offer take home gifts for customers. A custom wine glass or even something as simple as a flower can set you up as going above and beyond in the mind of a customer.

 

 

Marketing

Make your Valentine’s Day specials and hours as easily accessible as possible. If customers can’t find the information, chances are they will move on to someone else who already has theirs readily available. Create a graphic and post it on your social media accounts and start a Facebook event. It also never hurts to print out some flyers and hang them around your restaurant or hand them out with receipts during January and February. The easier it is to access your important information, the better the chances you will have a full venue for Valentine’s day.

Thinking Outside of the Heart Shaped Box

If you are looking to try something new this year, we’ve got a few ideas for you that are a twist on the classic Valentine’s day meal that we all know.

Wine Tasting or Beer Tasting – For those who love the beverages more than the food. Local breweries and wineries are popping up all over the United States and consumers are responding positively. Join up with some wineries or breweries in your area to offer a tasting night.

Offer Valentines Meals the Weekend Before and After– Some people just can’t make it out on a weeknight to celebrate. Offer them the same meal the weekend before and after with a discount or a promotion. You can bring in even more business and will be able to offer it as an option to anyone who asks for a reservation for the 14^th after you are booked up.

Galentine’s Day Brunch – Galentine’s Day is a day where women across the world celebrate their female friends. And what do gal pals love? Mimosas. Galentine’s Day is February 13^th but you would probably do best on the Sunday before or after Valentine’s Day.

DIY Dinner – DIY is all the rage and that extends to the restaurant industry. Talk to your chef and see if they would be willing to offer a class to customers on how to make their own Valentine’s dinner. What could be better than having customers pay you to make their own meal?

Takeout Meals – We all have one in our lives that we know and love. An introvert, someone who works odd hours, or even moms whose only chance at a peaceful dinner is after the kids have gone to bed. You can still market to the person who wants to eat in but doesn’t want to spend hours cooking the perfect meal? That is where you come in. Offering takeout meals are a great way to continue to offer food, even after your reservations are full. Consider asking customers to order a few days in advance to give your team plenty of time to order and prepare the extra meals.

Whether you stick with the traditional candlelight dinner or do something a little different, a few ideas will remain the same. Good marketing, great food, perfect atmosphere, and a staff that goes above and beyond for the customer, will make your Valentine’s day a success.

Do you do something for Valentine’s day that your customer’s fall in love with every year? Let us know in the comments below.

Move over Ramen burgers and Korean clam chowder, the infatuation of making two very different concepts work together in flavors and offerings is not limited to food in the restaurant industry. Commercial furniture is reflecting the mashup trend by taking differing materials and combining them to create unique pieces to accent your restaurant.

You wouldn’t bat an eye at a wood table top and metal base, but what may catch your attention is these two materials together in a chair or bar stool.

This trend has gone by many names: rustic industrial, modern rustic, vintage industrial. The list goes on and has been present in the home décor and architectural industries for some time. These materials together highlight their contrasting points while also making a great pair.

When wood is used in design, it carries a warmth and neutrality with it. It feels earthy and organic. In contrast, metal can bring a manufacturing-like or contemporary vibe. With its hard an unbending feel, it’s completely the opposite of wood that is soft and easily affected by its environment. The wood and metal hybrids are a marrying of the two that create something totally new yet familiar.

Visually these compositions meld together but they also work well structurally. In a restaurant, metal is less easily scratched and cracked, making it ideal in combating daily wear and tear over wood. When metal is used to reinforce a wood seat or back in a frame, the chair or bar stool becomes more durable.

With the popularity of the wood and metal hybrids, we have quite a few designs that are right on trend for your restaurant.

 

1) Erwin Collection Solid oak wood and black powder coated metal come together in the Erwin Collection. The rustic look of this collection is defined further with a traditional X-style back and stylized legs.
2) Elliot Collection The Elliot Collection updates the classic ladder back design by using solid oak wood and a weathered iron for an industrial look that’s softened by the wood back and seat.
3) Henry Collection The Henry Collection keeps it simple with squared off wooden backs and seats, giving this collection an understated modern look. The distressed wood paired with the slim yet sturdy, black powder coated frame makes it an easy pairing with other restaurant furniture.
4) Piper Collection The metal frame of the Piper Collection brings a breath of fresh air to restaurants with its hairpin leg design. Embracing the rustic industrial look, the sleek steel contrasts the deep tones of the oak to warm up any dining area.
5) Gladiator Collection From window pane to full ladder back to vertical back, we have all your classic styles covered with the Gladiator Collection. Traditional back designs make this collection extremely versatile and are right on trend with their steel frames and variety of wood seat options.
6) Simon Collection Think grit, think modern, think mechanical. All of these can describe the strong metal look of the Simon Collection. Because this collection comes with a variety of wood seat options to offset the smooth steel, Simon’s are a standout statement piece in a rustic restaurant atmosphere.

Each of these collections use a metal frame with a wood seat and/or back. Together, these materials create a unified theme for your restaurant by pulling from warm and cool tones. Restaurants need furniture that can meet the hectic demands of the industry with durability and visual appeal. And just like a leader of the mashup movement, the cronut, these wood and metal hybrids give you the best of both worlds.

Do you use wood and metal hybrid furniture in your restaurant? What are your thoughts on this hybrid furniture trend? Tell us in the comments below.

Something even the most knowledgeable restaurant owners seem to be unsure of is when they should order furniture for their new restaurant. In the world of express shipping and Amazon Prime, consumers tend to think that they don’t need to order things very far in advance. This is not the case with commercial furniture. When asking yourself “when should I order my furniture?” The answer is: the sooner the better.

Ideally, you should begin your search at around 10 weeks before you want the furniture to arrive. It seems like a lot of time, but it will go by faster than you think.  Starting earlier gives you time to research, place the order, and receive the furniture before your opening.

The time it takes for your furniture to arrive on your doorstep is dependent upon a couple different factors. This first of which is the type of furniture you order. Items that are custom built such as reclaimed booths, or custom vinyl seats, have a production time, where other items might not.

By calling in advance, you can also check the stock of the item you have your eye on. Popular items sell out quickly. Stock fluctuates daily and can affect your expected arrival date. Even if an item says out of stock it is good to call and see when the next shipment is arriving. The earlier you call the better to either reserve your items, or get your name on the preorder list.

Transit time is another factor in your furniture’s arrival. Most large furniture items ship LTL. You’ll want to take into account the location of the place you are ordering from in relation to where you are located. Items traveling from across the United States are going to take longer than items coming from across the state.

Purchasing outdoor furniture can be a little different than purchasing indoor items. If you are looking to get outdoor furniture for the spring/summer season, February is a good time to order. You want to have your furniture before the weather breaks and customers start asking to sit on your patio. Waiting too long to call could put you in the danger zone of not being able to receive your furniture until part way through the season.

It is best to order your restaurant furniture well before your open date, about 10 weeks, to make sure that you can get the items you want, in the time frame that works for you. If you have your eye on some pieces that we offer at East Coast Chair & Barstool, you can get your order started today by calling our Customer Care Team at 800-986-5352.

Restaurant table tops can be finished with any finish available on the market, the question becomes more which should they be finished with. We’ve broken down the ins and outs of the three most popular finishes for solid wood tables to help you figure out what is the best finish to select for your restaurant tables.

Varnish is commonly used in the residential and commercial furniture sectors. Varnish is an oil-based wood finish that has been in use for centuries, while it has been around for some time, it can be a process to use. Before application can begin, all bubbles need to be stirred out of the varnish to avoid being transferred to the table top. When applying, end users should take care not to overbrush. Too many brushstrokes can be visible on the finished product. The varnish also has a slower drying time (ideally 10-15 hours between coats) than that of lacquer, running the risk of dust settling and corrupting the finishing process. Therefore, it has become a common practice to thin the varnish before use. After dry time, varnish is an extremely durable finish for highly used furniture pieces such as bar counters and restaurant table tops. But this lengthy wait time is a drawback for mass production, leading varnish to mostly be used by DIY-er’s and custom residential projects.

Lacquer is a popular commercial finish that comes in a variety of transparent sheens on many restaurant table tops. Lacquer uses resin-based liquid solutions that quickly dry into a hard film when exposed to oxygen by way of a catalytic agent. In the restaurant industry, most lacquer formulations include a catalytic agent. When the lacquer is dried, the catalytic agent allows the finish to form a more protective and durable coating. To apply, lacquer is typically sprayed on with its quick dry time of 5 to 10 minutes making it time efficient for manufacturers. A lacquer finish can easily be repaired with a trip to the hardware store by the end user since the table top normally does not need stripped down. On our table tops, we typically finish them using a three-part application of catalyzed lacquer sealer and top coat.

Polyurethane finish is one of the most durable restaurant table top finishes because of its similar characteristics to plastic. Polyurethane finish takes on many of the positives of varnish and less of its drawbacks. This finish can be oil or acrylic based, depending on the blend, making it chemical resistant and waterproof. This finish is applied with a brush and involves waiting four to six hours between coats. After applied, the polyurethane is harder and more durable than lacquer. You can often find polyurethane finish as an upgraded option because of the detailed processes it takes to apply. While there are different formulations of polyurethane, on our products, we use a commercial-grade formula as a premium on option on all our solid wood table tops.

Which finish should you use on your table tops?

The answer is not so cut and dry. It all depends on what your intended use is for your table tops.

• If you’ve been collecting antique tables to give your restaurant a certain look, it’s likely they will have a varnish finish because this method has been around for many years. Unfortunately, there’s a good chance that these tables are not commercial-grade, which could present structural issues with the table itself in the future.
• If you’re a restaurant owner in need of basic solid wood tables for a swiftly approaching open date, then a lacquer finish will do just fine. Lacquer-finished tops are easy to repair should something happen to them.
• If you’re putting quite a bit of money down on specialty tables and want to increase their resistance to water, chemicals, and body oils, a polyurethane finish would be your best option. This modern finish is formulated to resist standing liquids caused by spills and cleaning.

There are pros and cons of all finishes, but in the end what will determine the ideal finish for your table tops is how you plan on using them.

The rustic industrial design trend has been a favorite of restaurateurs for a while now but our Turnbuckle Table is here to shake up your décor, no matter the theme.

So what is it about this table that makes customers stop and stare when they enter your dining room? Meet the turnbuckle, a mechanism that can expand and contract table legs.

Traditionally, turnbuckles were used to sturdy the legs of old workbenches and is made up of two threaded eyebolts. One of these screws into each end of a small metal frame the other separates into a left-hand thread and right-hand thread. Turnbuckles are used to adjust the tension between cables or ropes. This tension is altered by rotating the frame, simultaneously screwing the eyebolts in and out, without twisting the eyebolts or attached cables.

Other uses for turnbuckle engineering include construction, aircraft, shipping, sports, entertainment industry, pipe systems, and now, restaurant furniture design.

Turnbuckle tables are especially popular in restaurants that have a very homey feel to provide contrast. Reminiscent of the workbench look, the combination of metal accents and vintage wood come together for an industrial feel in breweries, farmhouse-style restaurants, and coffee shops.

This turnbuckle table is made of reclaimed oak wood salvaged from vintage barns. Each table top is fully sanded and sealed with a heavy sealer to preserve the rustic elements that come with weathered wood. A steel turnbuckle connects the hand hewn, wood beam legs that is functional as well as aesthetic. Make this table all your own by choosing one of our three finishes: Natural Reclaimed, Antique Black, and Whitewash. Custom edging and additional premium finish options are also available.

It’s time. You have received all your furniture, unwrapped it all, and made sure that you have everything that you need. Now it is time to tackle the assembly. One of the most daunting tasks can be assembling table tops and table bases. Don’t worry, attaching a table base and a table top is easier than you might think.

The first step, whether you are assembling an indoor or an outdoor table base, is to take the bottom of the base and attach it to the column. To do this, simply place the column on top of the center of the base and screw the bolt in until it is completely tightened. Next, turn your table top upside down on a flat surface. If you have a single base you will then center the spider. The spider is the smaller, usually square, flat part of the base. Once you have the spider centered onto the table, begin screwing in your eight screws until the top is secure. Each base comes with eight screws per spider. To install this you will need a Philips head screw driver or drill bit.

Purchasing a larger table top might require the use of multiple bases or a double base. You will repeat the process but instead of centering the spider, the bases need to be between 6 to 12 inches from the edge of the table top. This process works for table tops on both table height and bar height bases.

If you are assembling an outdoor table top and base, there are a few adjustments you’ll need to make. First off, most spiders for outdoor tops are an x-shape.(insert picture) Once the column is assembled, place the spider onto a table top that has been turned upside down on a flat surface. With our New England collection, the table is attached using an Alan wrench is provided in your shipment.

The table might have pre-drilled holes that your base lines up with and that you can use to attach the base. Some bases may not line up with the holes depending on your top and base combo. If this is the case, you will have been provided self-tapping screws to allow you to create your own holes. Make sure the base and table top are completely secure before use.

These instructions are based upon the furniture produced by East Coast Chair & Barstool. If you have purchased your commercial furniture elsewhere instructions may vary.

If you are still experiencing issues with attaching your bases and table tops purchased from East Coast Chair & Barstool please contact our service department at 800-986-5352 for help.

 

**** Please note that due to Hurricane Irma, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show has been rescheduled for October 11-13 for the safety of attendees and exhibitors. Exhibitors will retain the same booth number, please stay safe and we hope to see you there! ***

East Coast Chair & Barstool is coming to the Sunshine State this September! We’re so excited to return to the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show (FLRS) this year at the Orange County Convention Center. And we’re back with an even bigger booth from last year, which means we’re bringing lots of new indoor and outdoor furniture collections to help your restaurant stand out.

The FRLS show runs September 10 through the 12^th and is open to members of the restaurant and foodservice industries. With over 400 vendors, the FRLS show offers restaurant, bar, and hospitality professionals a chance to see industry trends up close and personal. In addition to interactive booths, attendees also can experience educational forums, culinary competitions, and demonstrations by celebrity chefs Letty Alvarez and Art Smith.

We will be featuring our luxury bucket bar stools and Quarter Sawn table tops for your indoor dining needs as well as our customizable outdoor Caribbean and Lake Shore Collections, never before seen in Orlando. It’s going to be a show you don’t want to miss!

Heading to Florida as well? Plan your visit to the trade show with the exhibitor map and list. You can even click the banner below to attend the show for free. Don’t forget to stop by Booth #1919 and say hello!

Everything has a story, but some are deeper than others. Imagine as a man approaches a tree in the forest. He examines it for termites and any other imperfections. Finding none he begins to work on the tree, sawing back and forth until finally, it falls. The tree is then transported to a lumber mill where it is cut into various sizes to be sold. Another man purchases the lumber and uses it to construct a barn that will be in his family for generations. It houses the animals that are his livelihood until he hands the farm over to his children, who then give it to their children. Each year the wood becomes more and more weathered until the barn is no longer able to be used. It is carefully deconstructed to salvage any reusable lumber. That lumber is then taken to a kiln where it is dried and nails and bolts are removed from the wood.

Next, the lumber ends up in the hands of an Amish craftsman. He checks each piece for imperfections, before sanding and sealing each board into a table top. Finally, the finished tables are shipped to a restaurant where they can be utilized and enjoyed for years to come.

More and more restaurants are looking towards creating a one of a kind atmosphere for their guests to experience. What is more unique than a table top unlike any other? No two of our reclaimed wood table tops are alike; each has varying grain patterns and knots that tell the woods story throughout the years. The boards used to create these table tops are salvaged from Pennsylvania and Ohio barns, making each table different from the one next to it.

A great way to customize these table tops even further is by selecting one of our three finish options: natural reclaimed, antique black, and whitewash. Each table top is fully sanded before the finish is added and then sealed with a heavy catalyzed lacquer sealer to make sure they are ready for commercial use.

Natural Reclaimed Finish

Our most popular option, the natural reclaimed finish allows your table’s raw beauty to shine through. Sanded and then sealed with a heavy sealer, this finish provides customers a look into how the boards may have appeared when they were still fulfilling their original purpose as part of a barn. For an organic, classic rustic look the natural reclaimed finish is a great option. This finish is versatile in that it can easily be paired with many of our seating options to create a different look.

Antique Black Finish

A new choice available for reclaimed table tops is our antique black finish. This darker cousin to our natural reclaimed finish has a rich black color that accents the wood grain and helps to draw your focus on the weathered appearance. The table is not entirely black but allows just enough of the original color to shine through to highlight the deep tones of the finish. This finish would look great in any restaurant looking to create a romantic atmosphere.

Whitewash Finish

Our final stain option is the whitewash finish. The white coloring adds some light to the table top and accentuates the unique grain patterns without hiding the knots that can be still be seen underneath the finish. Perfect for brightening up a room, the whitewash finish would look great in a bakery or a cute breakfast spot with a colored centerpiece.

No matter what finish you select, all table tops are 1 ¾” thick and are available in all 32 sizes that we offer. The tables are available in both round and square options with a steel inlay option is available for square tables only.

To purchase your table top in your choice of stain head over to our Reclaimed Barn Wood Table Tops page and start shopping!

 

 

 

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