Buyer guide
Restaurant Dome Buying Guide: Seats, Ventilation & Service Flow
What a restaurant operator should decide before ordering a transparent dining dome: covers per dome, service flow, ventilation for cooking and guests, seasonal economics and the scope boundaries that keep the project on budget.
Start with covers
Seat the room before you size the shell.
| Model | Floor area | Typical covers | Price (USD, EX-WORKS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 3.0 m | 7.1 m² | 4–6 | From US$1,445 |
| Round 3.5 m High | 9.6 m² | 6–8 | From US$1,692 |
| Round 4.0 m High | 12.6 m² | 8–10 | US$1,651–2,208 |
| Round 5.0 m | 19.6 m² | 12–16 | US$2,167–2,847 |
| Round 6.0 m | 28.3 m² | 16–20 | US$2,682–3,466 |
Covers are indicative — actual seating depends on table layout, service flow and local regulations.
Igloos for restaurants
Dining igloos: one table, one booking.
Guests and booking sites call them dining igloos or restaurant igloos; suppliers tend to say outdoor dining domes. It is the same product: a small transparent room on the terrace, booked by one party for one sitting. Dressed for the holidays, it is the table guests book first; see restaurant Christmas decorations.
- Size the igloo to the party you sell. For parties of four to eight, the table above points to the Round 3.0 m or the Round 3.5 m High.
- Count units against your booking slots. The number of igloos is set by how many parties you want outside per sitting, not by the size of the terrace.
- Plan the route from the kitchen. Servers will cross open ground in rain and cold; keep the path short and give the doors a sheltered side.
- Plan the turnaround. Between sittings the igloo needs airing and a wipe-down, and condensation clears faster with the top vent open.
Restaurant igloos for sale, with prices by model and photos of client terraces, are on restaurant igloos and outdoor dining domes.
Operating decisions
Five things to resolve before ordering.
Service flow
How food and drink enter and leave: door swing, tray pass and server circulation determine the model and door configuration.
Cooking inside?
Any cooking inside the dome (hot plates, grills) changes the ventilation and fire review. Confirm with local fire rules before ordering.
Ventilation
Guest comfort in a transparent room depends on top-lift ventilation, exhaust and opening windows — plus shading for daytime service.
Seasonal economics
A rigid shell extends the usable season versus an inflatable or fabric structure, but the actual trading window depends on climate and configuration.
Scope boundary
Deck, electricity, interior fit-out and local approvals are local scope. The written quotation defines what Domevora supplies.
Questions restaurant buyers ask us
Can we cook inside the dome?
Any cooking changes the ventilation and fire review. Confirm the cooking plan and local fire rules with us before ordering, so the configuration matches the operation.
How many guests fit in a 5 m dome?
A 5.0 m model provides 19.6 m² — typically 12–16 covers depending on table layout and service flow. The exact seating plan is confirmed with your floor plan.
Is it warm enough for winter dining?
With the right configuration — sealing, ventilation and a heating plan — the dome can trade through cold weather. The shell holds its properties to −40 °C; interior comfort depends on the heating system. Breath and food steam during a sitting raise humidity; see how to stop condensation in a clear dome. For heater sizing from shell area and temperature, see winter dome heating.
What does the price include?
The shell, aluminium base, door, window, LED strip, curtain system and hardware, EX-WORKS Suzhou. Freight, deck, electricity, interior fit-out and approvals are separate.
Send the covers, service flow and site.
We will recommend the model, door and ventilation configuration — with a written quotation and scope boundary.