Seated capacity is the maximum number of diners a restaurant can seat at the same time. It sets the restaurant's revenue potential and is governed by occupancy and safety regulations.
Seated capacity is the total number of seats for diners that a restaurant can offer at the same time, taking into account both the physical limits of the space and the legal occupancy rules. This number is fundamental because it sets the ceiling on revenue per service: a 50-seat restaurant with an average spend of €30 can only take €1,500 per full sitting, whatever the demand. Real seated capacity depends on several factors: the usable floor area of the premises (excluding the kitchen, store rooms and toilets), the type of furniture (tables for 2, 4, 6 or more), the layout (service aisles, waiting areas), the occupancy rules (which vary by Spanish region and type of licence) and fire safety regulations (which set distances to emergency exits and minimum aisle widths). In Spain, maximum occupancy (aforo) is set in the premises' activity licence, usually calculated by applying a ratio of 1.5-2.0 m² per person according to regional regulations and the type of establishment.
A restaurant cannot legally exceed this maximum occupancy, even if more tables would physically fit. As well as fixed seated capacity, many restaurants work with operational seated capacity, which may be lower than the legal figure in certain circumstances: more generous table layouts to improve the experience, reductions during works or maintenance, or seasonal adjustments (more space per table in summer for greater comfort). Managing seated capacity intelligently also includes optimising the table mix: too many four-tops creates inefficiencies when couples come in; too many two-tops makes it impossible to seat groups.
Seated capacity = Usable dining area (m²) / m² per person (as set by regulations)
The legal calculation of seated capacity is set by the regulations of each Spanish region. Generally, a ratio of m² per person is applied according to the type of establishment: cafés usually have ratios of 1.2-1.5 m² per person; restaurants 1.5-2.0 m² per person; and high-end venues may require 2.0-2.5 m² per person. If your premises have 120 m² of usable dining area (excluding the kitchen, store room, toilets and service areas) and the regulations set 1.5 m² per person, the maximum capacity is 120 / 1.5 = 80 people.
However, real operational capacity is usually lower because of the table layout, the aisles needed for service and the specific furniture configuration. The practical calculation is to count the actual seats at the tables installed. To optimise, you need to balance capacity with comfort: a packed restaurant turns tables quickly but can spoil the experience; a very spacious one is comfortable but wastes revenue potential.
Your restaurant has a legal occupancy of 70 people under its licence. You currently have: 8 four-tops (32 seats), 6 two-tops (12 seats) and 4 six-tops (24 seats). Total: 68 seats. Looking at occupancy over the last quarter: the six-tops are only full 20% of the time (groups of 4-5 usually come in); the two-tops are often too small (couples who turn into threes).
You reconfigure: you remove 2 six-tops and add 4 modular four-tops (which can be pushed together for groups). New layout: 12 four-tops (48 seats), 6 two-tops (12 seats), 2 six-tops (12 seats) = 72 seats, but 70 usable under the licence. Effective occupancy rises from 75% to 88% because the table mix fits real demand better. With the same table turnover (2 sittings) and average spend (€35), you go from taking €3,675 per service to €4,312, 17% more.
Seated capacity is the fundamental multiplier of a restaurant's turnover. The revenue formula is simple: Capacity × Occupancy × Table turnover × Average spend. Optimising seated capacity can have a bigger impact than improving average spend, and without any changes to the menu or the service. A restaurant that increases its capacity from 50 to 60 seats (20% more) and keeps the same occupancy, turnover and spend increases its revenue by 20%.
However, capacity cannot be maximised indefinitely: tables that are too close together spoil the experience, lead to complaints and bad reviews and, paradoxically, reduce future occupancy. The sweet spot is the maximum capacity that still delivers an excellent customer experience. Managing capacity also involves decisions about bookings (do we accept bookings for large groups who take a six-top for 3 hours?) and second sittings (do we limit table times to guarantee two full services?). These policies have a direct impact on RevPASH.
Zindra helps you analyse how efficiently you use your seated capacity, showing real occupancy by table configuration, identifying under-used tables and modelling how changes to the layout would affect potential turnover.
Tools and content to go deeper into this concept.
Average spend (the average ticket) is the average amount each customer (or table) spends in your restaurant. It is a key indicator of commercial performance and of how well your menu works.
RevPASH (Revenue per Available Seat Hour) measures the revenue generated by each available seat per hour. It is the most complete indicator of a restaurant's operational efficiency and real profitability.
The staff rota is the document that plans and assigns each restaurant employee's working hours by day and time slot, making sure service is covered and the law is complied with.
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