Infographic for Introverts: Choosing the Right Seat at a Dinner Party

Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong
Anjali Prasertong is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. Originally from Los Angeles, she has taught English in rural Japan, worked as a private chef in Malibu, and led an innovative city-funded corner store program in New…read more
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published Apr 1, 2013
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

At a dinner party, where you sit and who you sit next to can make the difference between a fun-filled two hours and an evening of awkward conversation and polite boredom. Choosing the right seat isn’t as easy as you might think; you have to consider the shape of the table, the number of seats, and — heaven forbid — what if there are two tables? Lucky for us, designer Alex Cornell has created a helpful (and funny!) infographic on finding the right seat at the table.

It probably has to do with being an unabashed introvert, but I get unnecessarily anxious when it comes time to choose a seat at a dinner party or group restaurant outing. So I find this infographic genuinely helpful, though it has made me even more wary of seven-person tables:

It’s very easy to get screwed in this scenario. While it may appear like you can sit anywhere except the ends, this is not so. You are at risk of sitting next to the lonely end-seat, which requires you to speak solely to that person for the duration of the meal.

Not a problem if that person is someone you like talking to, but pure introvert torture if it turns out to be someone you don’t. 

At least I am reassured that I am not the only person in a two-table situation to “lament as the other table’s attendance crystallizes into what is clearly the superior group.” Cornell advises just heading to the bathroom while seats are being chosen and letting fate decide in that situation.

→ See the full infographic: Musical Chairs (Choosing the Right Seat) – Alex Cornell

How do you choose your seat at a dinner party? Do you experience seat-choosing anxiety too?

Related: Entertaining: Do You Give Your Guests Assigned Seating?

(Image: Alex Cornell)

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