Bar stools · 5 min
Backless versus backed restaurant bar stools for a cafe window ledge
A guest on a stool at 6:55 AM stays about as long as the espresso takes to cool.
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Stools for the window ledge and the counter
Stools earn their place where tables will not fit: along a window, at a pickup shelf, down the side of a narrow room. These guides compare backless and backed stools, check the fit against your counter, set spacing and weigh seat materials.
Start with a tape measure
Measure the surface first, in inches, and work out how many stools fit along the run. Then decide how long guests will sit. A stop for a coffee wants a lighter stool than an hour with a laptop, and the seat you pick should wipe clean at 7 AM and again at closing.
Guides in this topic
5 guides
Bar stools · 5 min
Bar stool and counter fit below the edge of the ledge
The seat height looks right on the page. At the ledge, the guest's knees meet an apron and the stool sits farther back than expected.
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Bar stools · 5 min
Bar stool spacing for dining and drinks at the cafe ledge
A mug fits on a narrow ledge. Add a breakfast plate, cutlery, and a second guest, and the same surface starts doing a different job.
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Bar stools · 6 min
A commercial bar stool buying guide for the window ledge and the counter
The ledge is built. The top sits 40 inches off the floor, the paint is dry, and the stool order is open in another tab.
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Bar stools · 5 min
Restaurant bar stool seat materials through a full cafe day
The seat meets a damp coat before breakfast and a coffee spill just after it. By closing, staff have wiped the same row several times.
Read this guideTry the layout before you buy
Cafe plans
Save chairs, stools and tables with their options and counts. Copy the plan for a second shop or a quick refresh.