Party Calculators

Banquet table seating.

Enter guests, table shape and size, and the space you want for each seat. See seats per table, how many tables and chairs to rent, empty seats and floor space. Runs in your browser; nothing is sent or stored.

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Your party

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in
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Planning figures of 20 to 30 inches are common. Smaller fits more but is tight.

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sq ft

Space per seat and floor space per guest are rules of thumb, not a standard, and rental suppliers rate tables differently. Check the supplier chart and local fire-code capacity for your venue.

Result

Fill the form and press Calculate.

Banquet Table Seating Calculator: the short answer

Seats per round table equal its edge length (pi x diameter) divided by the space you give each person. A 60 inch round table at 24 inches per seat seats 7, and at 22 inches it seats 8.

Worked example

A 60 inch round table has an edge of pi x 60 = 188.5 inches. At 24 inches per seat that is 188.5 / 24 = 7.85, rounded down to 7 seats. 100 guests need 100 / 7 = 14.3, so 15 tables with 5 empty seats. With 5% spare chairs, rent 105 chairs. At 22 inches per seat the same table seats 8, which is why suppliers rate the same table at different capacities. Floor space at 10 sq ft per guest is 1,000 sq ft.

How it works

Round table seats = floor(pi x diameter / space per seat). Rectangular seats = 2 x floor(length / space per seat) for the two long sides, plus one seat at each end if you tick the box and the width fits a seat. Tables = round up (guests / seats per table). Chairs = round up (guests x (1 + spare)). Floor space = guests x square feet per guest.

Space per seat is a rule of thumb, not a published standard. Chair width, place settings and shared platters change the real figure, and suppliers rate the same table at different capacities. Always check your venue's maximum capacity and exit rules.

Sources and basis (opened 2026-10-08): Circumference and arithmetic on the numbers you enter. The 24 inch seat width, 10 sq ft per guest and 5% spare chairs are planning defaults, not sourced figures.

FAQ

How many people sit at a 60 inch round table?

At 24 inches of table edge per person it seats 7; at 22 inches it seats 8. Suppliers rate the same table at different capacities, and a higher figure assumes tighter spacing.

How many tables do I need for 100 guests?

With 7 seats per 60 inch table you need 15 tables. With 8 seats per table you need 13.

How do rectangular tables seat?

Each long side seats floor(length / space per seat), and you can seat one person at each end. A 72 x 30 inch table at 24 inches gives 3 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 8.

How many spare chairs should I get?

Five percent is a common planning cushion, not a rule. Set it to 0 for an exact number.

Does this check fire-code capacity?

No. Venue capacity and aisle widths are set by local rules and the venue. Ask them.

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