How Many People Can Sit At A 6 Foot Table? (Find Out Now!)
Maybe you’re the person who typically hosts family gatherings or other types of dinner parties. Or, perhaps you have an upcoming wedding, and you need to know how many tables you need for your guests. Whatever the situation is, it’s essential to know how many people you should sit at a table. A 6-foot table is pretty large, but how many people can sit at it?
If you have a 6-foot rectangle table, this will seat about 6 to 8 people comfortably. However, suppose you have a 6 foot round table (or a 72″ round table). In that case, this will accommodate more people, and about 10 to 12 people will be able to sit there comfortably—however, this number changes depending on the circumstances.
It can be overwhelming when you’re trying to figure out the seating situation for a big event, as you want everyone to be comfortable. You are welcome to use this article as a guide to get a feel for how many people can sit at a specific size table so that you can calculate how many chairs you will need. Let’s get to it!
How Many People Can Sit At A 6 Foot Table?
While the answer to this question should be relatively easy, there’s a lot more that goes into it than one may think. For instance, how long are your guests going to be sitting? Is this a formal dinner or a family reunion? What shape is your table, a rectangle, or a circle? These are some of the things you will need to know before knowing how many people can sit at any given table.
6 Foot Round Table
If your 6-foot table is round and not a rectangle, you should be able to seat around 12 people, but this is the maximum as not everyone will be able to slide their chairs closer to the table. This is fine for a family event or a sort of fun gathering, but if you’re looking at something more formal such as a wedding, or a dinner party, you won’t want to sit more than ten at a 72″ round table.
6 Foot Rectangle Table
As far as a 6-foot rectangle table goes, the maximum capacity would be about eight people, including people sitting at the ends. However, the chairs on the end will not be able to slide all the way under the table properly, which is unacceptable in a formal dining situation. If this is a formal situation, you would not want to seat more than six people at a 6-foot rectangle table.
How Big Of A Table Do I Need?
| Size | Shape | Measurements | Number Of People |
| 36 inch | Round | 3 Feet | 4 |
| 48 inch | Round | 4 Feet | 6 |
| 60 inch | Round | 5 feet | 8 |
| 72 inch | Round | 6 feet | 10 |
| 72-inch x 30 inch | Rectangle | 6 feet | 6 to 8 |
| 96-inch x 30 inch | Rectangle | 8 feet | 8 to 10 |
The size of the table that you choose will depend on exactly how many guests you have and how you want them seated. In a formal setting, you want everyone to have elbow room, so it’s better to go on the lower end of any ranges you see in the chart—for instance, six people at a 6-foot rectangle table instead of 8 people.
You always want to ensure everyone has plenty of elbow space and an area to pull their chair up to. As long as their chair fits under the table and no none feels too cramped, then you have a good amount of people at that particular table. This is why at wedding receptions, they do ‘dinner rehearsals.’
They want to check on the view, music, space, the placement of the tables, and how many people can comfortably fit at a table so they can make any last-minute changes.
How Many People Can Sit At A 60 Inch Round Table?
For a 60 inch round table, you can fit about ten people maximum; however, not everyone will be able to put their chairs close to the table. So if this is more of a formal setting, you will want to seat no more than eight at the table so that everyone can sit comfortably.
How Many People Can Sit At An 8′ Rectangle Table?
For a rectangle table that’s 8 feet, you will want no more than ten people, but it’s best if you only have eight seats. A good rule of thumb with rectangle tables is seating the number of people for the number of feet the table is. For instance, a 5-foot rectangle table should have five people, and so on.
Tips For Choosing A Table
You may have figured out that maybe a 6-foot table isn’t best for your circumstance. If so, we have some tips to share with you to choose the best table for your event.
- Smaller numbers for more extended periods. If you have an event where people are expected to sit at a table for more than an hour and a half, such as a conference, wedding reception, or a fundraising event, then you will want to go with a smaller amount of people at any table. For instance, you will want to sit about eight people at a 5 foot round table.
- Bulkier chairs should have a smaller number as well. Depending on the chair style, you may only be able to seat a certain amount on your table no matter what the event is. If you have bulky chairs, then less of them will fit at the table than if the chairs were a sleeker design.
- The bigger number for kids. Kids are little, and it’s common for events to have a ‘childrens’ table. Therefore, if you have such a thing, then you can add even more chairs. For instance, instead of 10 people at a 6 foot round table, you could fit about 14 kids. If you get kids’ sized chairs, you could accommodate about 17 maximum.
- Allow more space for any maneuvering of chairs. Let’s assume there will be a few times throughout the evening where your guests will need to turn their chairs to face any given direction; if this is the case, then it’s best to have a lesser amount of chairs. It makes them easier to move around.
Other Considerations When Choosing A Table
- Remember to consider aisle space. If you’re going to use multiple tables, keep in mind that you will want at last a 24-inch aisle between each table, so people aren’t trying to squeeze past one another. Since you’ll also have chairs in the mix, it’s wise to measure between each table. So, you will want at least 54 inches of space between two round tables, and between rectangle tables, you will want at least 60 inches of space.
- Think of your centerpiece. Sometimes the larger tables will have a space in the middle. For example, some 72-inch tables or 6-foot tables have a huge gap right in the center, so you will want to think of
- The 72 inch round table has a massive space in the middle, so you need a wider centerpiece. (Note on centerpieces: keep centerpieces below eye level or less than 12 inches tall. If you want to use a tall centerpiece, keep it slim, so it doesn’t interfere with the guests’ view of each other.
- Keep conversational ability in mind. At a 72-inch round table, it is pretty tough for guests to talk across the table since it’s so large. So if this is a larger, louder event, then the shouting won’t make a difference. Or, if it’s a work conference, then space won’t matter; however, if this is something where people are expected to interact with one another, you may want to think about downsizing if you want to keep the noise level to a minimum.
- The most common table is the 60 inch round. The most common table is a 60 inch round table, which seems to work great for almost all scenarios. However, don’t be afraid to throw a couple of 6-foot banquet-style tables in there if you need a larger seating area for particular groups. You can toss these around the outer area of the seating floor so that it doesn’t affect the space that you have for aisles.
Wrapping It Up
Figuring out seating arrangements is a big job for anyone involved, and that’s why it’s good to know how many people can sit at a specific-sized table. However, you will want to ensure you allow room if you are in a formal dining setting or bulkier chairs. It’s also important to keep in mind the round tables allow for more seating area, which is good to know if you are limited on space. Just measure and ensure there’s an aisle, room to move the chairs in and out from the table, and you’re good to go.
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Heather is a passionate writer who loves anything DIY. Growing up, she learned everything from home repairs to design, and wants to share her tips with you. When she's not writing, she's usually hiking or searching for her next DIY project.
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