Restaurant arm chairs

An arm chair asks more of the table than a side chair does: more width along the edge, and clearance under the apron for the arms. 74 are listed here, in wood, metal and aluminum frames with vinyl, fabric or wood seats. Start with the widest chair you plan to seat, then check it against the table.

Width comes first

The listings run wide. One wood arm chair measures 22 7/8 inches across, an aluminum one 24 1/4, and a second aluminum chair 26. A diner is given about 24 inches of edge, so a 26-inch chair takes more than its share, and a table of four with arms on every side wants a bigger top than the same table with side chairs. See the wood dining chair for the narrow end and the aluminum dining chair for the wide one.

Depth matters as much. The chairs above run 22, 25 3/4 and 28 inches front to back, and each needs room behind it to be pulled out. Leave 18 to 24 inches, and 36 where a service aisle passes.

Frames, seats and backs

Wood frames lead with 19 listings. Aluminum with a wood look follows with 18, then metal with 16, aluminum with 14, metal with a wood look on four and stainless steel on two. Vinyl covers the seat on 73 of the 74, fabric on 60 and wood on 15, and some listings offer more than one.

Backs split three ways. Upholstered backs lead with 52 listings, and the rest are curved, square, ladder, vertical slat or window back. Thirty-three have a padded back. Sixty-seven offer upholstery options, so request swatches before a color is settled. Sixteen listings show a BIFMA certification on their product pages, which is worth reading for the chair you buy.

The arm in the second hour

The arm is where a guest rests a hand once the plates are cleared. It is also where a chair catches the table apron on the way in. Seat heights here run from 18 to 19 inches, most often 18 3/4. Where a page lists the arm height, compare it with the apron of a table whose top is 29 to 30 inches off the floor before you commit, because that number decides whether the arm slides under the edge.

Arms appear on 71 of the 74 chairs, and six stack. Treat every one as an indoor chair unless its page lists patio use.

For a wider choice of covers, see upholstered chairs. For the bar rail, bar stools with arms follow the same width rule. Lay a dining room out with its tables in seating plans.