Commercial Restaurant Furniture Brief: What an FF&E Contractor Should Specify Before Requesting Quotes from China

A restaurant-chain furniture quotation is only comparable when every supplier prices the same product, finish, quantity and delivery scope. A reference image may start the discussion, but it does not define seat height, frame construction, upholstery, table-base finish, carton marks or destination-market evidence.

Before sending an RFQ to China, the FF&E contractor should turn the design intent into a line-item brief. That brief does not need to solve every production detail. It needs to state what is fixed, what may be proposed and what must be approved before bulk production.

Start with the outlet schedule

Build the schedule by outlet, room or service area, then give every item a stable code. A chain may repeat one model across several locations, but the quantity and finish allocation still need to be visible.

For each line, include:

• outlet, room or area;
• item code and quantity;
• dimensions or drawing reference;
• material, fabric and finish;
• whether the item is freestanding or fixed;
• packing and room/area label;
• destination market and any named test method;
• the approval required before production.

Separate an unconfirmed preference from a fixed requirement. If the project permits an alternative, ask the quotation to flag the substitution rather than replacing the specification silently.

Restaurant seating: specify the use, not only the style

Dining chairs and bar stools

State whether the frame is timber, metal or a specified combination, the frame finish, seat height, upholstered or hard seat, floor glides and whether stacking is required. For a bar stool, include the counter height and any footrest requirement shown in the design.

Sofas and lounge chairs

Record overall dimensions, seat height and depth, arm height, frame, seat and back build, cover and exposed finish. If the client supplies the upholstery fabric, identify it as COM and provide usable width, repeat, direction, quantity per item, defects allowance and delivery responsibility.

Banquettes and booth seating

Give the plan and elevation, module lengths, back height, seat height, upholstery, wall or floor interfaces, service access and any fixed-joinery boundary. A factory cannot price a built-in banquette accurately from a front-view inspiration image alone.

Tables: split the top from the base in the specification

For dining, bar, coffee and side tables, identify:

• top material and finish;
• top size, thickness and edge treatment;
• table height;
• base material, finish and glides;
• fixing between top and base;
• whether the top and base ship assembled or separately;
• drawing or sample required for approval.

This structure makes different quotations easier to compare. It also prevents a proposed base, edge or substitute surface from disappearing inside a generic “restaurant table” description.

Where stone is specified, the project team should provide its appearance and dimensional requirements and identify the approval reference it expects. Do not infer a stone species, slab grade or reinforcement method from a mood image.

Upholstery and finish approvals

Put each finish into an approval register: item code, material, colour or reference, revision, date sent, comments and sign-off status. Use the approval that answers the identified risk: a fabric cutting for colour and handle, a finish chip for an exposed surface, a drawing for dimensions and interfaces, or a complete sample where construction and comfort need to be reviewed together.

For repeat outlets, the approved reference should be tied to the same item code used on later orders. If a material changes, record it as a new revision rather than treating it as equivalent by default.

Destination-market evidence belongs in the brief

Tell the sourcing team where the furniture will be used and name any standard or test method required by the project. Evidence should be checked for the specific model or material combination, not treated as a general factory credential.

For indoor upholstered seating imported into the United States, 16 CFR Part 1640 applies California TB 117-2013 to products within its scope and requires the prescribed permanent label. California also has requirements concerning covered flame-retardant chemicals and the related label statement. Australian projects may need the importer and project team to assess timber due-diligence obligations and building requirements. The project’s specifier or certifier decides what applies to the intended venue.

If the brief does not yet name a requirement, mark it pending. Do not fill the gap with an unverified standard number.

Packing, consolidation and receiving information

State whether each line ships assembled, partly assembled or flat-packed. Identify removable parts, hardware packs, assembly instructions and carton marks. For outlet roll-outs, labelling by location and item code is part of the receiving plan, not decorative packaging text.

FBM Furniture works on full-container orders. Product groups from the same project can share containers, and goods from specialist seating, table, upholstery, metal-frame or fixed-joinery factories can be consolidated. We do not ship loose cargo. The loading report records what entered the container and supports unloading.

What the quotation should show

The quotation should show, per line:

• item and stable item code;
• specification;
• materials, fabric and finish;
• dimensions;
• unit price and quantity;
• packing;
• lead time;
• any proposed substitution, clearly flagged.

This is the point of the brief: quotations can be compared against one reference rather than against different supplier assumptions.

Many clients start with one category. We share examples of previous quotations to show the price range; further sourcing work requires an upfront sourcing fee, fully credited toward your first order. For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission. For products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Sea freight is quoted before shipment.

From sign-off to pre-shipment QC

For custom pieces, coordinate the drawing, material list and finish sample until the client signs off the production reference. Keep the approved revision with the item code and PI.

After bulk production is complete and before shipment, our own QC team carries out one inspection against the signed-off specification. Quantities, dimensions, finish, fabric and foam, hardware and packing are checked, and the client receives a report with photos and video. The client’s project team is welcome to attend.

Inspection is not a substitute for a complete brief. It can compare the finished goods with the approved reference; it cannot retroactively decide an unstated seat height, fabric or table edge.

A practical RFQ handover

Send the following as one controlled package:

1. the FF&E schedule or product list by outlet or area, with quantities;
2. drawings for custom banquettes, booths, tables or other custom pieces;
3. reference images or links where they clarify the intended product;
4. dimensions, materials, fabric and finish for every line;
5. COM information where the client supplies fabric;
6. the destination and named project requirements;
7. required approvals and target packing format;
8. the contact responsible for design comments and sign-off.

Keep a revision date on the package. When one field changes, update the same item code and identify the revision instead of issuing a second, ambiguous description.