Banquet Room Capacity & Chair Count Calculator
Room
In Parquet
Parquet drops the tables and chairs into your room to scale, so you can send the client an actual layout instead of a number.
Free banquet room capacity calculator. Enter room size and setup (rounds, classroom, theater, U-shape) to see how many tables and chairs fit. Built for hotel sales teams.
How many round tables fit in a room?
A client calls and asks, "Can your meeting room do 120 for dinner?" You need an answer before you hang up. Put in the room's length and width, pick your round size, and the calculator lays out the tables the way your banquet team actually sets them: 5 feet between table edges so servers can get through, and 4 feet off the walls so guests can push their chairs back. It tries straight rows and staggered rows and gives you whichever fits more.
A 60" round seats 8 comfortably and 10 tight. A 66" seats 9 to 11, and a 72" seats 10 to 12. Use the comfortable number for plated dinners and the tight number when the client is trying to fit the whole guest list.
Classroom and theater capacity
Classroom uses standard 6-foot by 18-inch tables, two people each (three if it's tight), with 3 feet between rows and room up front for a presenter. Theater assumes 36 inches from row to row and 18 to 20 inches per chair. Counts assume a center aisle.
How this calculator works
Most capacity charts just divide square footage by a number, and that number changes from source to source. Rounds run anywhere from 10 to 15 square feet per person. This calculator fits real tables into your actual room, then shows the square-footage rule of thumb next to it so you can sanity-check the result. Need to carve out a dance floor, stage, head table or buffet? That's what Parquet is for. If the count may be above typical fire-code limits, you'll see a note. Your room's posted occupancy always wins.
From chair count to BEO diagram
A number gets you through the phone call. The client still wants to see the room. Parquet takes the same room, drops the tables and chairs in to scale, and gives you a clean diagram for the BEO and the client in a few minutes. It costs $99.99 once, with no monthly fee, and runs on Mac and Windows.
FAQ
How many people fit at a 60-inch round table?
Eight comfortably, ten tight. A 72" round seats 10 comfortably, 12 tight.
How much space do you need between round tables?
At least 60 inches between table edges, and 6–7 ft is better for plated service.
How many square feet per person for a banquet?
About 10–12 sq ft for rounds, 8–10 for classroom, 6–8 for theater and 5–6 for a standing reception. Fire code uses 15 sq ft per person for tables and chairs.
How many round tables fit in a 40 × 60 room?
About 20 60" rounds (200 seats at 10 per table, or 160 at a more comfortable 8) in a staggered layout with 5 ft between tables. That's before any dance floor or buffet.
Is this the legal capacity of my room?
No. It's a planning estimate. Always use the posted occupancy and your local fire marshal's rules.