The structure of potassium benzilate, K+·C14H11O3−, previously determined from visually estimated intensities, has been redetermined from CCD data. The K+ ion is five-coordinate and the distribution of O atoms around the metal is a flattened square-base pyramid. Pairs of edge-sharing polyhedra join to form corrugated layers parallel to ab, which stack along the c axis. The K+ ion is in contact with the π electrons of one phenyl ring at a perpendicular distance of 3.0899 (4) Å and is displaced laterally by 0.252 Å with respect to the ring centroid. This interaction and an intramolecular hydrogen bond account for the rigidity of this ring compared to the second ring. The two intramolecular hydrogen bonds present have graph-set motif S(5). An intermolecular hydrogen bond, which also involves the hydroxyl group, has graph-set motif C12(4).