Office Cafeteria and Breakout Area Furniture Ideas for Pune Workplaces
Short answer: Plan cafeteria seating for roughly a quarter to a third of your headcount, since people eat in batches. Mix three kinds of seating: standard dining tables (about 750 mm high), high tables with stools (about 1,050 mm) and a few soft seats. Use tops that resist heat, stains and water, with sealed edges, and keep the pantry counter in moisture-resistant board. A small office can do all this with one counter and one long table.
The pantry or cafeteria is the one place in an office that everyone uses every day. It is also where informal conversations happen, which is why companies are giving it more thought. Here is how to furnish it sensibly, whether you have 80 sq ft or 800.
How much seating does an office cafeteria need?
Not everyone eats at the same time. If lunch runs in two or three batches, you need seats for about 25 to 35 per cent of staff.
| Headcount | Seats to plan | Approx. area for seating |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6 to 8 | 80 to 120 sq ft |
| 50 | 14 to 18 | 200 to 280 sq ft |
| 100 | 28 to 35 | 400 to 550 sq ft |
| 200 | 55 to 70 | 800 to 1,100 sq ft |
As a planning figure, allow about 12 to 15 sq ft per cafeteria seat including the aisle. Add space for the counter, water dispenser, microwave queue and wash basin.
Table sizes and heights
| Table type | Size | Height | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square, two-seater | 600 x 600 mm | 750 mm | 2 |
| Square, four-seater | 750 to 900 mm square | 750 mm | 4 |
| Rectangular, four-seater | 1,200 x 750 mm | 750 mm | 4 |
| Rectangular, six-seater | 1,800 x 750 mm | 750 mm | 6 |
| Round | 900 to 1,000 mm diameter | 750 mm | 4 |
| High or bar table | 1,800 to 2,400 x 600 mm | 1,050 mm | 6 to 8 on stools |
| Wall-mounted ledge | 350 to 450 mm deep | 1,050 mm | One per 600 mm |
Chair seat height is about 450 mm for dining tables and about 750 mm for bar stools at a 1,050 mm table.
12 furniture ideas for cafeterias and breakout areas
1. A long community table
One long table seats more people per square foot than several small ones and gets different teams talking. It also doubles as a place for town-halls and team lunches.
2. High tables near the counter
Standing-height tables suit quick tea breaks and short stand-up meetings, and they turn over faster than seated tables.
3. A window ledge with stools
A 400 mm deep ledge along a window uses space that is otherwise wasted and gives people a view.
4. Booth seating
Fixed bench seats with a table between them work as lunch seating and as informal meeting booths. High backs give some acoustic privacy.
5. Built-in bench along a wall
A bench against the wall with loose tables and chairs on the other side seats more people than chairs all round, and can have storage underneath.
6. Mix of table sizes
Twos, fours and one large table suit people eating alone, in pairs or as a team.
7. Stackable or light chairs
So that the room can be cleared for an event or cleaned quickly.
8. A proper pantry counter
With space for the microwave, coffee machine, induction plate and water dispenser, drawers for cutlery, shutters for supplies and a bin unit. Plan enough sockets above the counter.
9. Tiffin and bag shelves
Most people in Pune offices bring a dabba. Open shelves or pigeon holes near the entrance keep bags off the tables. If the office has a fridge, plan its niche in the counter.
10. Soft seating corner
Two or three lounge chairs or a sofa with a low table, for a quiet break or an informal chat.
11. Writable wall or pin-up board
Turns the breakout area into a usable spot for brainstorming.
12. Plants and warmer finishes
Wood-grain laminates, a brighter accent colour and planters make the space feel different from the work floor, which is the point of a break. See our guide to office furniture colours and finishes.
Which materials survive a cafeteria?
| Part | Good choices | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Table tops | High-pressure laminate, compact laminate, solid surface or stone | Hot cups, curry stains and daily wiping |
| Table edges | Thick PVC edge banding or post-formed edges | Sealed against water; no chipping |
| Table bases | Powder-coated metal | Stable, easy to clean under |
| Pantry counter carcass | BWP plywood or HDHMR | Moisture near the sink |
| Counter top | Granite, quartz or solid surface | Heat and water |
| Chairs | Moulded plastic, metal or wipe-clean upholstery | Spills |
Avoid fabric seats in the eating area and avoid unsealed board anywhere near the sink. The boards are compared in our post on the best material for office furniture.
Layout tips
- Keep the cafeteria away from focus desks, or separate it with a door or storage wall; food smells and noise travel.
- Keep about 900 mm between table edges where chairs back onto each other with no walkway, and about 1,200 to 1,500 mm where people walk through.
- Place the counter so that the queue does not block the entrance.
- Put the wash basin and bins near the exit of the room.
- Provide charging points at high tables and ledges, where people sit with laptops.
- Use easy-to-mop flooring.
For small offices: the one-wall pantry
If you have only a corner, plan a 1,800 to 2,400 mm counter with a sink, storage below and shelves above, plus a high table for four or a fold-down ledge. The meeting table can double as the lunch table. More small-space ideas are in modular office furniture for small offices.
Cafeteria and pantry furniture made in Pune
We build pantry counters, cafeteria tables, ledges and booth seating to size at our Dhanori workshop, as part of complete office projects across Pune. See the commercial furniture and office furniture pages.
Frequently asked questions
How many cafeteria seats does an office need?
About 25 to 35 per cent of headcount, because staff eat in batches.
What is the standard height of a cafeteria table?
About 750 mm for dining tables and about 1,050 mm for high or bar tables.
Which table top is best for an office cafeteria?
High-pressure or compact laminate, solid surface or stone, with sealed edges, because they resist heat, stains and water.
Talk to Encore Interiors
Encore Interiors designs, manufactures and installs office furniture from its own workshop in Dhanori, Pune.
Address: Survey No. 19, 3/1, near Shard Lawns, Madhav Nagar, Dhanori, Pune, Maharashtra 411015
Phone: +91 89799 31695, +91 75076 17409
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