What's With The Built-In Dinette Sets?

[wilburn]

I do a lot of work reviewing potential sales of gas and diesel powered RVs, several 5th wheels and an occasional TT. I had a client recently ask me why the MFGs produce TTs (almost all?) with a built-in dinette set. They are cramped, don't sit particularly well, and take up valuable space and difficult to remove.

We eat on our laps or on folding card tables. Our Newmar has a movable table that works just great...as a cat feeding platform.

So why?

[Scarab0088]

You talking about the typical dinette?

Two reasons - reported from a large dealership's staff:
*It turns into a bed where extra sleep space is often desirable.
*Dinettes are preferable to most...what seats fill-up first at a diner? The booth dinettes.

Safe travels

[EZDZIT]

There are two large storage drawers under our dinette seats.

[wilburn]

Originally Posted by EZDZIT

There are two large storage drawers under our dinette seats.

Convenient, yes. But would you desire something else that also has storage instead of fixed dinette arrangement?

[wilburn]

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

You talking about the typical dinette?

Two reasons - reported from a large dealership's staff:
*It turns into a bed where extra sleep space is often desirable.
*Dinettes are preferable to most...what seats fill-up first at a diner? The booth dinettes.

Ok, I can buy that...if you have kids or height-challenged people.
Never thought about the booth being preferential.

[WeatherTodd]

one day Ill get to removing mine. The fact it sets up as a twin sized bed painlessly hasnt bothered me much. If I can get a fully collapsible table I would ditch the booth in a heartbeat! Its got queen sized bed space!

[our3sons]

Yep, with all that. When the boys were young we would put one on the dinette. But now that I'm older, and perhaps a little larger the old dinette doesn't work out the way it used to. I am seeing more of the "traditional" table and chairs as options.

[wilburn]

Originally Posted by our3sons

Yep, with all that. When the boys were young we would put one on the dinette. But now that I'm older, and perhaps a little larger the old dinette doesn't work out the way it used to. I am seeing more of the "traditional" table and chairs as options.

I am far from being a TT expert but do any/many mfgs offer options? I haven't found any in a quick review.

[WeatherTodd]

Originally Posted by our3sons

Yep, with all that. When the boys were young we would put one on the dinette. But now that I'm older, and perhaps a little larger the old dinette doesn't work out the way it used to. I am seeing more of the "traditional" table and chairs as options.

I keep raised queen inflatables for emergency bedding. Removing the dinette would allow me to put 3 of those out plus the couch to sleep guests and still have room to walk to the restroom.

[Gigattime]

We liked having the fixed dinnette in our previous unit. Our new toy hauler has the happijac system in the garage and works great. However, the storage with the booth was great. It worked well for our family.

[our3sons]

Originally Posted by wilburn

I am far from being a TT expert but do any/many mfgs offer options? I haven't found any in a quick review.

There aren't many but yes in both TT and fivers. Just to name a couple, Rockwood has supper slide options in their Signature Ultra Lite series. And Flagstaff in their Micro Lites series also in super slides.

We went to an end of season show this past October...that's the only reason I would know.

[wags999]

Its much easier to seat 4 people in a dinette than 4 chairs and a table. Chairs take up too much room to pull out and slide in. If a couple then the chairs and table may make sense but a table will take up more space with 4 chairs. Thats a big part of why restaurants use booths and tables in the middle. Space management.

[DavenFla]

Recent discussion.... http://www.irv2.com/forums/f50/what-...er-384624.html

[L.C.Gray]

I prefer the dinette option. It's a lot of usable storage in our TT that lacks for adequate storage space. In a 5'er with a basement I might would choose differently.