The Access and the Classic Banquet Chairs are two of MityLite’s most popular commercial chairs. They’re sturdy, stackable, and classy. If you’re looking for new chairs for your event center, banquet facility, or restaurant, these chairs will probably pop up in search results as good options. But what’s the difference? Let’s compare the Access versus the Classic Banquet Chairs so you can make the best choice for your venue.
At a Glance: Classic Banquet Chair vs. Access Banquet Chair
Products |  Classic Banquet Chair |  Access Banquet Chair |
|---|---|---|
Price Point |  |  |
Comfort |  | |
Ability to Customize | | |
About the Classic Banquet Chair
Proudly made in the USA, the Classic Banquet Chair is extremely comfortable. It features our patented flex-back (which leans back slightly to the users’ preference), and our super comfy FormFlex™ seat (which has a flexible base that gives you that sink-into-comfort feeling). The mesh FormFlex seat base also helps with ventilation, for a more comfortable seating experience.
This chair is also beautiful and stylish. It’s built with a durable steel frame that’s powder-coated in your choice of finish options. The Classic Chair is one of the most customizable banquet chairs on the market—it’s available in five back styles, two leg styles, and over 1,000 fabrics. It comes with a 12-year warranty and is made to last.
The Classic Chair: Polished & Comfortable
- Comfort: ★ ★ ★ ★
- Extra thick, 2.5-inch-thick, molded MDI foam seat cushion
- FormFlex seat base (included)
- Flex-back (add-on)
- Event pitch (104°) or dining pitch (98°)
- Box edge or waterfall edge
The Classic: Style Options
- 5 back styles: Crown, Hourglass, Oval, Round, or Square Open
- 16 frame colors
- 2 leg styles: standard and mitered
- Over 1,000 fabric options
- COM (Customer’s Own Material) available
- Multiple ganging options
About the Access Banquet Chair
MityLite’s Access Banquet Chair is designed in the USA and made in China. It is an attractive and cost-effective commercial chair, although it isn’t as comfortable as the Classic Banquet Chair. It’s available in a limited range of fabrics and finish types, which helps make this chair more affordable. It also doesn’t have our patented flex-back or our FormFlex seat, so it isn’t as comfortable as the Classic Banquet Chair, but again, the lack of these bonus features does keep the price low for this affordable banquet chair. The Access has a 7-year warranty and is a durable, commercial-grade chair.
As far as order lead times, the Access is often quicker to get than the Classic. The Access Banquet Chair is available in select in stock options that are available to ship immediately, while the Classic Chair will generally require the full lead time before products are available to be shipped.
The Access Chair: Lightweight & Affordable
- Comfort: ★ ★
- Plush, 2-inch-thick, cut TDI foam seat cushion
- Event pitch (104°)
- Box edge or waterfall edge
The Access: Style Options
- 3 back styles: Crown, Hourglass, Square
- 1 frame color (Black Sand)
- 3 fabric options
- COM (Customer’s Own Material) also available
Additional Differences Between the Classic and Access Chairs
Here are some final differences to keep in mind when comparing these two commercial banquet chairs.
- The Classic Banquet Chair has the strongest frame. The Classic frame is built with thicker steel tube (0.8 inch/2.2 cm) than the Access Banquet Chair (which is built of 0.75 inch/1.9 cm steel tubing). The thicker steel frame is associated with higher quality and longer durability.
- The Classic Banquet Chair comes with higher-end floor glide options than the Access. With the Classic Chair, you can choose from nylon or nickel-plated swivel glides.
- The Classic Chair has a plastic backrest base in addition to the plastic FormFlex seat base. This gives the Classic Chair greater comfort, plus the whole back section is easy to replace if needed.
- The Classic Banquet Chair has the thickest backrest foam. The Classic features plush, 0.75″ (1.9 cm) thick foam, while the Access Banquet Chair back foam is 0.4″ (1 cm) thick. This makes the Classic backrest more comfortable.
Key Points
As we’ve discussed in this article, there are many differences between these commercial banquet chairs but a lot of it comes down to price. The higher cost of the Classic Banquet Chair is due to costlier (and more durable) materials and manufacturing methods. The Access Chair is cheaper than the Classic Banquet Chair. However, the Access Chair doesn’t have the same sumptuous comfort as the Classic, nor is it as customizable. You can get the Access Chair in just a few different fabric options, while the Classic Chair is available in over 1,000 different fabrics.
Most properties will know which of these commercial banquet chairs will be the best for their property by deciding whether cost or appearance is the top priority. If cost is the biggest consideration, go with the Access Chair. If comfort and appearance are the top priorities, go with the Classic Chair.
Products Featured in This Article
Classic Banquet Chairs
5 Chair Back Styles
Access Banquet Chair
3 Chair Back Styles
