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Event Seating & Table Calculator

Find how many round, rectangular, or square tables and chairs you need for a guest count, plus seats per table and minimum room square footage.

Enter guests, pick a table shape and size, and set any extra-chair buffer. Get tables, chairs, seats per table, and room space.

About this tool

The Event Seating & Table Calculator is a free, in-browser planning tool that turns a guest count into the number of tables and chairs you need to rent, the seats each table holds, and the minimum floor space to book. Choose a table shape — round, rectangular banquet, or square — pick a size, and it works out everything at once. It is built for weddings, banquets, and parties where getting the table count right decides your rental order. All math runs locally in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded.

Seats per table come from standard catering charts: round tables seat 4 (36 in), 6 (48 in), 8 (60 in), and 10 (72 in); square tables seat 4 (36 in) or 8 (48 in); rectangular banquet tables allow 24 inches of edge per guest, so seats = 2 × floor(length_in / 24) along the long sides, plus 2 more if you seat the ends. Tables needed = ceil(guests ÷ seats per table). Chairs = guests plus your extra-percentage buffer for a head table and spares. Room space uses the banquet rule of about 12 sq ft per seated guest, and ticking the reserve option adds 40% for a dance floor, buffet, or stage.

As a worked example, 120 guests at 60-inch round tables (8 seats each) need ceil(120 ÷ 8) = 15 tables and a total capacity of 120 seats; with a 5% chair buffer that is 126 chairs, and the room should be at least 120 × 12 = 1,440 sq ft (about 2,016 sq ft with a dance floor). Order a few extra chairs beyond the exact count so late RSVPs and a head table are covered.

Frequently asked questions

How many people fit at a round table?
By diameter: a 36-inch round seats 4, a 48-inch seats 6, a 60-inch seats 8, and a 72-inch seats 10. These are the standard catering figures used here; you can squeeze one more per table for a tight cocktail seating but comfort drops.
How do I count seats at a banquet (rectangular) table?
Allow 24 inches of table edge per guest along each long side, so seats = 2 × floor(length_in / 24), then add 2 if you seat the ends. A 6-ft (72-in) table seats 6, or 8 with the ends; an 8-ft (96-in) table seats 8, or 10 with the ends.
How much room space do I need per guest?
Banquet-style seating needs about 10–12 sq ft per guest once tables, chairs, and aisles are counted. This tool uses 12 sq ft and adds 40% when you check the dance-floor / buffet / stage option, which is the usual planning allowance.
How many tables for 120 guests?
At 60-inch rounds seating 8 each, that is ceil(120 ÷ 8) = 15 tables. Switch to 72-inch rounds (10 seats) and you need 12 tables. Order chairs equal to your guest count plus a small buffer for the head table and last-minute additions.

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