Booth vs free standing dinette

[rlh1957]

You can put in a booth. Sometimes taking a booth out requires more planning As manf use that under seat space to place cables, pipes, WH or furnace.

[German Shepherd Guy]

Really interesting reading all the pro's & con's of the dinette seating.
We opted for the table & chairs, but that was so we could take them out.
We use that space for dog crates. I replaced the table with a great folding table and the chairs with great folding chairs.
One thing I will say, I took the table & chairs that came with it (2019 RBPR) into the house and put into the spare room. Two of the chairs have already broken they were so cheaply made just scooting them away from the table while sitting in them (Must be some kind of Balsa wood). I tried re-glueing and screws but they died anyway. I think for a family that the booth would be much more durable. JMO.

[blubuckaroo]

We seldom eat at a table at home, so why would we use up valuable space in our trailer for one? The booths are really awkward to live with.
We've been looking at some of the recliner setups too.
We've also been looking replacing our booth with a jackknife sofa, so we would still have an extra bed. Maybe that and an otoman would work.

[Rwake901]

Our last two motorhomes had booths. We hated them. Our new 5th wheel has a dinette and we love it. Although you do lose a little storage by not having the booth it’s well worth it. The dinette expands with the leafs and makes it a lot bigger than any booth. We will never go back to a booth.

[G Giroux]

Well, as many have said depends on your on needs. As empty nester we love the chair option.
i we leave two of the 4 chairs at home
ii You can adjust the table by taking out the 4 floor pedestal screw and remounting.
As for sofa, it to can be move a little to give more dinning area room. Love the sofa for afternoon naps.
Bench dinner was premium when raising kids, added under seat storage was a bonus.
As for sliding seat cushions a little velcro does a great job.

[crewmember]

We prefer booth over table and chairs, seemed a pain everytime we moved camp to secure them. Had custom booths made with piano hinge lid for easy access and storage. The fabric we covered with is kind of textured so we haven't had a problem with cushions slipping.

[Rayray04]

Originally Posted by Ranchhand

I have been looking at some leftover 2019 Cougar 369BHS. I have located one that has the free standing dinette and was wondering what some of your opinons on the dinette versus the booth. I do not really care about having the extra bed but the dinette in the pictures looks like it would be cramped to get four people around. Im talking about two adults and two kids. Our 2014 has a booth and it is just Ok im my opinion. One thing that I find to be a real pain with our current booth is the back cushions are always pushing the bottom cushions out and we are constantly putting the cushions back where they belong. Any pros and cons would be appreciated. Also I guess why I am asking and do not feel the need to start another thread. What about pros and cons on theater seating versus fold out sofa. Once again do not really care about the extra bed. Our current trailer has the sofa and I thought the theater seating would be more comfartable to sit in.

We have the same model with a table in the middle with bench seats on both sides .. it can comfortably sit 4 people

[GeoZ]

I gotta throw my two cents in on this one. Have had both the dinette and table/chairs. We will never go back to a dinette and would be a deal breaker if dealer would try to sell to us. To us, it is more versatile and nobody has to crawl around. As referenced earlier, I guess it would be a good way to corral the kids in a dinette. Our current trailer has both the theater seating and fold out couch. I prefer the theater seating just for the doze.

[crk112]

We have the u-shaped dinette which I suppose is more like a booth? (no chairs) This is our first TT so I've not had experience camping with another setup, but here's a few thoughts I have about the u-dinette.

- If we have to sit inside to eat, our u-dinette is a bit small for a family of four (two young kids), and clumsy to get in and out when everyone is seated. It's a lot more comfortable to sit outside and eat, weather permitting. A meal for two is perfect at the dinette (only one side can see the TV though).

- The storage space under the seats is very roomy. We've stored stuff from linens to cases of bottled water underneath the dinette. I've even seen others mod their units to add an exterior door for accessing said storage space, which would really increase the usability.

- The ability to convert to a bed was an attractive feature for us, and we've used it more than we even thought we would. Sometimes both kids sleep there instead of on the bunk, sometimes both dogs, sometimes an adult and a dog. At the horse shows, we occasionally have a guest. The extra bed is handy to have.

- It's not a comfortable place to "sit and relax" for any period of time... it's pretty specific to the purpose of sitting for a meal or work on the computer, and then moving on. I'd rather try recliners or a sofa, which I'll be fine with as long as they have fold out trays for eating. Sometimes we're not "camping" but just "hotel room on wheels" for the horse shows, so we can't completely give up a place to sit and eat inside.


Good luck in your decision!

[ObiRich]

Well, our Hideout has the dinette table and chairs, and we prefer it to the booth. It's just my wife and I, so we don't have kids to be corralled in a booth. We like the ease of getting in and out, and the fact we don't have poles under the table to get around. With just the two of us 90% of the time, we don't need the booth for a bed, and we have the flip sofa for the occasional times when we have friends with us.

[Lbatz5706]

Originally Posted by Ranchhand

I have been looking at some leftover 2019 Cougar 369BHS. I have located one that has the free standing dinette and was wondering what some of your opinons on the dinette versus the booth. I do not really care about having the extra bed but the dinette in the pictures looks like it would be cramped to get four people around. Im talking about two adults and two kids. Our 2014 has a booth and it is just Ok im my opinion. One thing that I find to be a real pain with our current booth is the back cushions are always pushing the bottom cushions out and we are constantly putting the cushions back where they belong. Any pros and cons would be appreciated. Also I guess why I am asking and do not feel the need to start another thread. What about pros and cons on theater seating versus fold out sofa. Once again do not really care about the extra bed. Our current trailer has the sofa and I thought the theater seating would be more comfartable to sit in.

Hi there. We have a 2017 keystone passport ultra light, 18’. Only has a booth dinette. Our cushions used to do the same thing til my husband got mad and velcroed the cushions to the boards. We have been toying with ripping out the dinette and replacing it with a fold down sofa. Not sure yet, waiting on this virus to go away then we’ll decide. I’d like to have somewhere for a guest or 2 to sleep on.

[apachewolf]

Why is it that a lot of people worry about resale value when they purchase a new RV? Over the past 20 years we have had 4 different styles. Equal for all was that we purchased them for US, not for resale. Some were useable as was others not so much. The last one we got is a Keystone Laredo with a booth. First thing that happened on the first trip out was that the bench collapsed when I sat on it. Turns out it was STAPLED together and the staples were all shot in from the top. Second thing that happened was that I tore the bench out, purchased a dresser from IKEA plus a table and 2 chairs. All within the first month of ownership. The Laredo is now as we want it. I took out the stove top and we use an induction cook top, faster and less messy. Shelves in cabinets have been added, the TV removed and a new one installed in a place where we can all watch it. What happens when the time comes to sell? Well we got 5 good years out of it the way WE wanted it. I don’t buy my clothes thinking about what the GOODWILL store will think of them nor do I worry about what the next owner will think about my F150 that I have modified the way I want it. I know some people that have moved into my neighbor hood and not done anything to their house for fear the next prospective buyer would not like what they have done. Tough luck. I buy for me and not others.
Use it and enjoy!

Happy camping.

[Lbatz5706]

Well said! We bought our travel trailer last year (our first) for my husband and I to live in full time. The first thing he did was rip out the 2 bunks in the back. We put up a closet to hang clothes, shelves with baskets for undies etc that don’t hang, and extra cans of food etc. He used a bunk to put up a wall alongside the closet which is where we hang our shoes in a shoe rack. Then he used some bunk to make me a cover for the stove top, and also a counter extension (not much counter space in an 18’). He has modified it tremendously and if we upgrade in the future I’m sure this would sell, even to someone who would take it to stay in while fishing. We couldn’t find one that fit our needs so he made this one fit!

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by rjniles

I placed a wide strip of Velcro om the bottom cushion to hold it in place.

We just use the grabby rubber matting made for RV dish cupboards. Where we live, the adhesive underneath velcro strips just gooes off over the summer and makes a big mess. Our old rig had them on the curtain tiebacks, and we just ended up replacing them with string loops.

As for comfortable furniture for tall people, I'm 6'6", the DW is 5'3", and we both love our Thomas theatre seating in the new Cougar. Our last rig had a jackknife sofa, and it was uncomfortable for both of us.

[KingFisher]

I hate booths. Had them in my 2 prior trailers and will never have another one.

Table and chairs in this one.

[Apalinto]

We prefer the dinette vs. the booth since it is just my wife and I and we have actually left two chairs at home when we have travelled. We felt the booth was too confining in our last trailer and our current rig has loads of storage so we don't miss the booth. It is really easy to clean around the table as well.
We absolutely love our theater seat recliners! Ours are manual but you can get horizontal and take a snooze quite easily. We also have a separate couch so we are not missing the extra bed.

[Chief Mole]

Have had both a booth and a dinette when we had TTs and preferred the dinette so it was a surprise when we got a look in the Sprinter 3531 FWDEN and noted that it had a bar. I'd have lost a bundle betting that the DW would have hated it. The bar gives us extra work space for cooking & cleaning and the bench side is a wonderful storage area. Every other FW we had looked at and liked had a dinette; booths weren't an option for us.

All that being said, it is a personal issue. If you like one, you'll be drawn toward that style of dining area. Enjoy your hunt for your rig!

[LewisB]

We found an unusual problem with the built in dinettes - they shrink over time. Specifically, the space between the seat back and the table shrinks over several years. And it has happened to us over the last couple of trailers - so it has to be an "industry" problem, not just related to one trailer or model.

So, if you are "space challenged", I recommend the free standing table & chairs (which will accommodate shrinkage) over the built in dinette.

I have the same problem with my pants - but I'm sure there is no correlation with the eating location!

[flybouy]

Brad on our dinette the table is not attached to the floor but I have noticed that less and less space is available on the side opposite where I sit. And until you mentioned the pants I realized I'm having that issue. I think it's a conspiracy!

[Lilmac]

Good morning on the cushions on your booth my wife velcro the bottom sees down and it works great you might want to consider that hope this was helpful