Event seating types: Understanding the best seating style for your event

If you are new to planning events - or even if you're not - the terminology around seating styles can feel a little daunting. Do you seat everyone classroom style? Around one large table? And what is cocktail seating? What is cabaret-style seating? What is theatre-style seating? We’ve got the seating arrangement questions covered and more, so you can discover the best layout for your event.

Whether it’s a large-scale event or a small meeting, the style of seating can have a big impact on the atmosphere of the room. To help you plan your event to perfection, we have put together the ultimate guide to event seating, including a definition of each style and what type of event or meeting it works best for. If you want to encourage your guests to talk, then smaller round tables in a cabaret or banquet style can help keep conversation flowing. Alternatively, if you need to communicate a message to a large number of delegates, then theatre style will allow you to command the room and hold everybody’s focus. For smaller meetings, boardroom, U-shape and hollow square seating offer a setting where everyone can get a word in.

When you start to search for your next event venue, consider the seating arrangement style that you require, as this could help you to filter out certain venues and narrow your search. Many venues can show you photo examples of the different ways their spaces can be set up, making it even easier for you to visualise your event. Don’t forget to check the capacities for your chosen seating style, as different setups will impact the maximum number of attendees you can have in the room.

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Banquet seating

What is banquet seating? Typically, round tables seat 8-10 guests. Banquet-style seating is a popular choice for large-scale events that want to encourage attendees to talk to each other, as the round table allows everyone to be a part of the conversation. When planning an event with banquet seating, keep your centrepieces small and low or tall and high so you don’t cause a visual blocker in the middle of the table. Need a little inspo? Take a peek at some of the best banqueting venues in London.

Works well for: Weddings, gala dinners, seated lunches and large dinners
Pros: Allows your guests to speak to one another
Cons: Guests can’t mingle outside of their table easily, so you may want to consider adding in a cocktail or networking hour to allow guests to wander

Auditorium/theatre style seating

What is auditorium/theatre style seating? Auditorium or theatre style seating is exactly as it sounds, tiered seating that would typically be found in a theatre or lecture hall. This seating is angled towards a focal point, such as a stage or a big screen, making it a perfect choice if you are looking to entertain or present to an audience. Large conferences that don’t require audience participation can work well with this seating setup. However, if you anticipate delegates will want to take notes, be sure to check if the auditorium seating has small desks. Take a look at London’s best auditoria to see what’s out there.

Works well for: Lectures, product launches and presentations
Pros: Tiered style seating allows every attendee to have a clear view and allows for larger audiences
Cons: Doesn’t work well for events that require group discussion over lengthy periods

Cocktail style seating

Cocktail style arrangement at art’otel London Hoxton for a daytime event

What is cocktail style seating? Cocktail style seating actually has very limited seats - it is where the space is mostly kept free from tables and chairs, possibly with a small number of high tables and stool-style seats. Cocktail style is a layout that allows your guests to mingle and move around the room. As the name suggests, it is perfect for a cocktail hour or for a standing event where canapes are served. That being said, it also works well when planning for a more casual break, perhaps for tea and coffee during longer events.

Works well for: Parties, drinks receptions, networking events
Pros: Allows your guests to speak to one another and to move around the room 
Cons: Limits the style of food you can serve, opt for small bites and canapes

Classroom seating

What is classroom seating? Classroom seating is as it sounds - tables and chairs set into rows facing a speaker or a presentation screen. If you are planning an informative event and you want your delegates to make notes, then the classroom style lends itself well. Just remember to provide pens, paper and any other equipment needed to make the most of this set-up.

Works well for: Seminars, informative presentations
Pros: Allows note-taking and gives each attendee a clear view of the event
Cons: Audience participation may be stilted with the teacher-student style setting

Cabaret seating

Liberacion de Cuba Birmingham is a flexible venue with a stage area best viewed with a cabaret seating arrangement.

What is cabaret seating? Cabaret seating is similar to the layout of banquet seating, but while banquet seating’s core goal is to facilitate a seated lunch or dinner, cabaret seating ensures each seat has a clear view of the stage/speaker at the front of the room. No chairs will have their back to the presenter, much like in a cabaret show.

Works well for: Presentations, entertainment and product launches
Pros: Each guest has a clear view of the speaker
Cons: Mingling between attendees is mostly limited to those on their table

Family-style seating

Megan’s at the Sorting Office is well known for event menus that focus on family-style dining.

What is family-style seating? Family-style seating often features long tables set up in rows, often with food served ‘family-style’ along the tables. This seating style has been popular for weddings in the States for many years and has gained popularity in the UK events sector because of its visual appeal - it looks great in photographs. It's worth noting that while it works well for sharing menus, this isn't absolutely necessary; this seating plan works very well for formal, coursed dinners too. It also allows for a more casual atmosphere, where guests can talk over the table and to others sitting nearby.

Works well for: Weddings, banquets, and celebration dinners
Pros: Looks great in photographs and can foster a more social atmosphere
Cons: Guests have limited interaction with others further down the table

U-shape seating

The Council Room at 10-11 Carlton House Terrace is a great location for U-shape seating and offers three recently renovated modern spaces.

What is U-shape seating? U-shaped seating refers to tables arranged in a horseshoe shape with seats around the outside only. This seating style gives space for a standing speaker, while the U-shape encourages the delegates to all speak and interact as a team.

Works well for: Workshops, presentations that require audience participation
Pros: Guests are all facing each other and can easily participate
Cons: Requires a lead speaker or meeting host to anchor the meeting, and doesn’t make efficient use of floorspace

Hollow square seating

Armed with several Committee Rooms, Kensington Conference & Events Centre can host between 35-75 delegates in a hollow square arrangement.

What is hollow square seating? Similar to U-shape seating, hollow square seating is an enclosed square with chairs around the exterior. This style of seating allows for conversation, collaboration and note taking, so it’s ideal for workshops and team meetings. For long discussions, this seating style allows the facilitator to sit while presenting.

Works well for: Workshops and small meetings 
Pros: Allows plenty of audience participation and teamwork
Cons: May require a meeting lead to chair and control the meeting, and doesn’t make full use of available floor space

Now that you're clear on all the seating style options, you're ready to start looking for the right venue for your event! To simplify the process and get your hands on insider event planning knowledge, why not make use of the free SquareMeal concierge service?