With the start of the six weeks, it is the perfect time to upgrade your school canteen 🍎
Allowing students to have access to high-quality school canteen furniture is important for all age groups. It encourages social development by giving students a comfortable place to sit with friends while also supporting their health and wellbeing. These spaces provide an opportunity for students to take a mental and physical break from learning before returning to the classroom refreshed.
By choosing the correct school canteen furniture, you can create a welcoming dining environment that students enjoy using every day. From durable tables and comfortable seating to layouts that maximise the available space, the right furniture can transform your canteen into a practical and inviting area, ready for the new school year.
The importance of a school canteen environment 🍕
- Improve student wellbeing: School canteens provide students with a dedicated space to take a break from the classroom and recharge before their next lesson. Having a comfortable environment to eat and relax can help improve focus and energy levels throughout the school day.
- Create a positive dining experience: Lunchtime gives students the opportunity to spend time with friends outside of lessons, helping to build confidence and strengthen relationships. A well-designed canteen with suitable seating arrangements makes it easier for pupils to gather, chat and enjoy their break together.
- Promote healthy eating habits: An inviting dining environment can encourage students to sit down and enjoy a balanced meal instead of rushing through lunch. Comfortable surroundings create a more positive mealtime experience, helping schools support healthier daily routines.
- Keeps Lunchtimes Organised: Busy school canteens need furniture that helps students move around the space safely and efficiently. Thoughtfully planned layouts can reduce congestion, make queues easier to manage and provide enough seating for everyone during peak lunch periods.
- Accommodate for large student numbers: With hundreds of students using it every day, school canteen furniture needs to offer excellent durability. Investing in high-quality tables and chairs designed for educational environments helps reduce maintenance requirements and provides a reliable solution that will last for years.
Why summer is the best time to upgrade 🌞
The six-week summer holidays is the perfect time to refresh your school canteen before students return in September. Because classrooms and communal areas remain empty, staff can move and install furniture without disrupting the school day.
Upgrading during the summer also means that existing dining furniture can be assessed to ensure the correct canteen upgrades are made. Plus, with 15 to 20 working days’ delivery as standard for our entire school and education canteen units, ordering during the six weeks can help to ensure they arrive in time for the ensures your canteen is ready to welcome students back with a clean, practical and inviting environment.
Which canteen unit works best for me? 🤔
At Direct2U, we are proud to offer a wide selection of School & Education Units. To help you choose the best one for your school environment, we have narrowed down our recommendations.
Primary VS Secondary school units
Primary school canteens should provide a welcoming environment where younger pupils feel comfortable. Both benches and individual seats work well in these spaces, depending on the available area.
Colourful seating options are also a great appeal within younger school environments. They can help to create an engaging environment that students want to spend time in with their friends. Our Round Canteen Unit is a great example of this, with 7 seat colour options, including multi-coloured! Its circular design also means that no students feel left out when sitting in a big group, contributing to positive social interactions! Plus, the laminate table top allows staff to clean away debris easily after the lunchtime rush.
Secondary school canteen units should provide a practical dining solution that can withstand busy lunch periods and everyday use. Singular seats, as seen on the 8 Seater Primo Round Table, can encourage personal space, whilst benches can help more pupils to sit at one unit. Schools with older students tend to go for neutral colours, like our Mobile Convertible Bench Unit. This is because these tables help to create a modern seating environment which does not clash with the rest of the building.
We are proud to offer the majority of our canteen units in two heights, including 685mm and 735mm. This means that units can be utilised in both primary and secondary school environments without the need to worry about student height restraints.
The importance of portability
If your dining hall is also used for assemblies, sports, performances or examinations, portable canteen units can offer valuable flexibility. They can be moved and stored away when the space is needed for other activities, helping schools make the most of multi-purpose halls.
The Octagonal Mobile Canteen Unit adapts to this required level of flexibility. It folds away after the lunchtime rush and fits through standard 1980mm tall doorways. As a result, schools can quickly clear multi-purpose spaces, while heavy-duty locking castors keep the units secure and stop students from moving them.
Fixed canteen units are ideal for dedicated dining areas where the layout is unlikely to change. They provide a permanent seating solution that keeps the canteen organised throughout the school year. Our Cube Bench and Table Set is a stylish and modern alternative to traditional school units. With benches that easily slide under the tables for efficient storage, they do not become a tripping hazard. Featuring an easy-to-clean surface and steel frame, it is highly durable and practical for all school settings.
What considerations should be made? 📝
Before investing in new school canteen furniture, it’s worth thinking about how your dining space is utilised. This applies for both now and potential future use. Considering these factors will help you choose a solution that continues to meet your school’s needs for years to come.
- Is your school expected to grow over the coming years?
- How is the space used in between break and lunchtime – is it a multi-purpose setting?
- Is this furniture a practical long-term investment to reduce maintenance costs?
- What warranty is available on each of these units?
Choose Direct2U for your school canteen upgrade 💛
As one of the busiest areas within any school, the canteen deserves furniture that is built to withstand everyday use. This needs to be achieved whilst also creating a comfortable and welcoming dining environment. The summer holidays provide the ideal opportunity to make these improvements before students return for the new academic year.
At Direct2U, we offer a wide range of school canteen units to suit schools of all sizes. Whether you’re updating an existing dining hall or planning a complete refurbishment, our team can help you find the right solution for your space. Request a quote with us today, and we can provide tailored budgets and a free site visit to ensure you choose the right canteen unit for your environment.