Banquette

/bæŋˈkɛt/ noun

Definition

A long bench with a back, often cushioned, used as seating in restaurants or dining rooms; also a platform or ledge.

Etymology

From French 'banquette,' diminutive of 'banque' or 'banc' (bench), which comes from Italian. The diminutive form references smaller benches in dining contexts.

Kelly Says

The banquette was a clever design—by building seating directly into the wall, restaurants could fit more people and create cozy booth dining without needing individual chairs.

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