We, or rather I, have been looking for a new kitchen table for a while now. We are by no means poor, but let's say we are relatively frugal, and I wasn't interested in paying much for a new kitchen table that my children would use their silverware as implements to distress the tabletop.
Our old table had reached its capacity at 6 with the leaf, and we are a family of 5.
That didn't leave much room for guests. And while we are relatively boring, we do like company. Our lovely little house couldn't handle a table at its every day length of more than 6 feet, so we were limited in our low budget choices. My father had a coworker who was moving, and he was very generous to offer to purchase her dining room table, but it measured a whopping 6 feet 8 inches. Those 8 inches would have blocked the door to our hallway.