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Get Started FreeRows of chairs facing a stage or screen. Best for presentations, keynotes, and performances.
~6 sq ft per person
Tables with chairs on one side, all facing front. Best for training, workshops, and seminars.
~18 sq ft per person
Round tables with chairs around each. Best for galas, dinners, and networking events.
~12 sq ft per person
Standing with high-top tables scattered throughout. Best for cocktail hours and mixers.
~8 sq ft per person
One large table with chairs around it. Best for meetings and small group discussions.
~25 sq ft per person
Booths and aisles with space for browsing. Best for expos, job fairs, and vendor events.
~40 sq ft per person
Room capacity = usable square feet / square feet per person. The table uses the full floor area, before you take out a stage, bar, buffet or dance floor, so treat it as the upper limit and check the venue's legal fire-code occupancy too.
| Layout | Sq ft per person | m² per person | People per 1,000 sq ft | People per 100 m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theater | 6 | 0.56 | 166 | 179 |
| Standing reception / cocktail | 8 | 0.74 | 125 | 134 |
| Banquet (round tables) | 12 | 1.11 | 83 | 89 |
| Classroom | 18 | 1.67 | 55 | 59 |
| Boardroom | 25 | 2.32 | 40 | 43 |
| Trade show / expo | 40 | 3.72 | 25 | 26 |
| Room size | Theater (6 sq ft) | Standing reception (8 sq ft) | Banquet (12 sq ft) | Classroom (18 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft (~46 m²) | 83 | 62 | 41 | 27 |
| 1,000 sq ft (~93 m²) | 166 | 125 | 83 | 55 |
| 1,500 sq ft (~139 m²) | 250 | 187 | 125 | 83 |
| 2,000 sq ft (~186 m²) | 333 | 250 | 166 | 111 |
| 2,400 sq ft (~223 m²) | 400 | 300 | 200 | 133 |
| 3,000 sq ft (~279 m²) | 500 | 375 | 250 | 166 |
| 4,000 sq ft (~372 m²) | 666 | 500 | 333 | 222 |
| 5,000 sq ft (~465 m²) | 833 | 625 | 416 | 277 |
| 10,000 sq ft (~929 m²) | 1,666 | 1,250 | 833 | 555 |
Example: a 2,400 sq ft room fits about 400 people in theater rows, 300 standing, or 200 at round banquet tables. Enter your own room above to subtract stage and buffet space.
Divide your usable square footage by the square feet per person for your layout type. For example, a 1,000 sq ft room in theater style (6 sq ft/person) can hold about 166 people.
Usable space is your total venue area minus space needed for stages, AV equipment, registration areas, catering stations, and other non-seating uses.
Yes! We recommend adding 10-15% buffer space for comfort, circulation, and unexpected needs. A slightly larger venue creates a better attendee experience.
Fire codes set maximum occupancy limits that may be lower than layout-based calculations. Always check with your venue about their legal capacity limits.
About 166 people in theater rows, 125 standing, 83 at round banquet tables, 55 in classroom style, 40 around a boardroom table or 25 at a trade show. 1,000 sq ft is about 93 m². Those numbers use the whole floor, so take out space for a stage, bar or buffet first.
For a standing party, plan about 8 sq ft per guest, so 1,000 sq ft fits about 125 people. For a seated dinner at round tables, plan about 12 sq ft per guest, or about 83 people. A DJ, bar or dance floor lowers both numbers.
Ask the venue for its legal occupancy limit, which is set by the local fire authority. Then work out your layout capacity: usable square feet divided by square feet per person. Plan for the lower of the two numbers.