Dining outdoors is a pleasant experience for many people. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a meal or having a cool drink in the warm sunshine or sharing drinks with friends under the night sky. With the enactment of laws in various countries prohibiting smoking in enclosed places, some people find they don’t have a choice but to eat and drink outside.

Furniture for dining al fresco is a common sight at bars and cafes now. We see outdoor bistro tables and chairs, as well as outdoor bar furniture of all shapes and sizes and made with various kinds of materials. There’s steel, wicker, wood, iron. But perhaps one of the most versatile materials is plastic. Plastic tables and chairs are lightweight, easy to re-arrange, and mostly not as expensive as their wood or metal counterparts. Plus, many models are stackable, making transportation and storage almost a non-issue.

And since they’re made of plastic, having them exposed to various weather conditions isn’t that much of a problem too. It’s easy to dust them, or to wipe them dry in case it rains. Looks can be given a variety by adding a nice tablecloth or seat covers. Let’s look at a few of the outdoor restaurant plastic tables and chairs available in the market today.

The GM Air Table TV220 designed by Jasper Morrison is made from polypropylene and has glass fiber added to it. It measures 69 centimeters high and 65 centimeters wide. It comes in white and beige.

The geometric AP Plastic/T table designed by Marco Maran is made from rotational molded polyethylene and is resistant to heat and sunlight, making it eminently suitable for outdoor use. It comes in seven colors and measures 76 x 65 x 47 centimeters.

These are but two of the virtually countless makes and models of plastic furniture for restaurants and other dining establishments that are commercially available today. For those who prefer low-cost and low-maintenance furniture for the outdoor sections of their bistros, bars, and cafés, plastic is the way to go.