Table Seating Chart Maker for Dinners and Banquets
Table-level seating starts with math: how many guests fit at each shape, how many tables fit the room, and only then who sits where. Get the math right first and the people part gets dramatically easier.
Seat Maker handles the shapes (round, square, rectangular, triangular), the capacity per table, and the guest assignment, on iPhone and iPad, with QR sharing for day-of lookup.
How to do it in Seat Maker
- Step 1
Do the table math
Pick shapes and counts from your guest total: rounds of 8 for banquets, one long table for small dinners.
- Step 2
Lay out the room
Place tables in Seat Maker to mirror the venue, numbered like the physical tables.
- Step 3
Seat guests by table
Drag guests onto seats, table by table, VIP tables first.
- Step 4
Share for day-of
Export the chart and a QR code so guests and staff can look tables up live.
Table math: capacity by shape
Standard counts to plan with: a 60-inch round seats 8 (10 tight), a 72-inch round seats 10 to 12, a 6-foot rectangle seats 6 to 8, an 8-foot rectangle 8 to 10. A U-shape suits 12 to 30 for meetings and rehearsal dinners where everyone should see everyone.
For 100 guests at 60-inch rounds, plan 12 to 13 tables: 100 divided by 8, plus a spare for the inevitable late additions.
- 60-inch round: 8 comfortable, 10 tight
- 72-inch round: 10 to 12
- 6-foot rectangle: 6 to 8
- 8-foot rectangle: 8 to 10
- 100 guests at rounds of 8: about 13 tables
Dinner parties: conversation-first seating
For 8 to 30 guests the goal is conversation, not logistics. Alternate talkers and listeners, split couples (they already know each other's stories), and put the host nearest the kitchen. One long table beats scattered rounds for under 20 guests.
Banquets: numbered rounds and head tables
Banquets run on numbers. Number every table in the app exactly as the venue will number them physically, place the head table first, and keep service aisles between table groups. Your caterer will ask for counts per table: export the chart and that question answers itself.
Day-of lookup: QR codes
Instead of a printed poster only, share a QR code from Seat Maker. Guests scan and find their table on their own phones, and late seating changes actually reach people, which a printed poster can never do.
Frequently asked questions
How many tables do I need for 100 guests?
About 13 rounds of 8, or 10 to 12 tables if you mix in larger rounds and rectangles. Always add one spare table's worth of slack.
How do I make a seating chart with round tables?
Add rounds in Seat Maker, set realistic capacity (8 at a 60-inch), number them like the venue, and drag guests aboard.
Can guests scan a QR code to find their table?
Yes. Seat Maker generates a QR code for your chart, so guests scan and see the layout on their phones, including late changes.
How do I plan seating for a dinner party?
One long table under 20 guests, alternate talkers and listeners, split couples, host near the kitchen. Drag and drop makes trying variants cheap.
What is a banquet-style table layout?
Numbered rounds of 8 to 10 with a head table and service aisles. Build it in the app with the same numbers the venue uses physically.
Learn moreRelated guides
Seat Maker features used in this guide
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