Research from online restaurant booking site, OpenTable, found that 61% of people felt sitting by a window helped make for the “perfect dining experience”.
Six in ten of the 1,500 respondents admitted they will ask to move tables in a restaurant if they don’t like the one they were allocated, with 10% claiming they do this almost every time.
Cramped seating was the most frequent reason given for moving tables, closely followed by being seated next to a draughty door.
Four in five (84%) of those polled said they prefer a small, intimate atmosphere to a bustling one, and half (49%) say their perfect distance from the next table would be around 4-5 feet.
The study also questioned diners’ preference for table type and interiors with 38% of people choosing a rustic wooden table as their choice of eating surface. Two in five added that a tablecloth was a ‘must have’.
Modern decor (36%), fresh flowers and plants (33%) were other features listed as helping make for a pleasant eating out experience.
Adrian Valeriano, vice president, Europe, OpenTable, said: “The table you sit at is quite literally the centerpiece of any dining experience.
“From rustic wooden benches to marble table tops and communal eating arrangements, we all know what we like and more importantly, don’t like.
“Whether you prefer the window seat or a tucked away booth, our advice to diners is always to be honest with the restaurant team, let them know which table you’d like to be seated at from the outset to make the most of your experience.”