Use the free planning worksheet
Download the editable CSV worksheet above and open it in your spreadsheet application. It contains blank project rows with the fields used in this resource. Fill in confirmed information, leave unresolved decisions marked for review, and keep the completed worksheet with your project brief. The examples below explain the checks to make before you request pricing.
Count furniture against a specific layout
List the seating arrangements you intend to operate, then count the pieces serving each arrangement. Distinguish dining chairs, bar stools, booth seats and outdoor seating. A booth position is not another loose chair to order, and a patio chair should not silently become part of the indoor inventory.
As a worked counting example, eight two-person tables and six four-person tables require 40 loose dining chairs if every position uses one: (8 × 2) + (6 × 4). Ten bar positions add ten stools on a separate line. The example gives 50 seated positions, but it does not establish the room’s permitted capacity or prove that the layout fits. Use the project’s reviewed plan for those decisions.
Use this furniture scope checklist
| Purchase group | Specify together | Check before release |
|---|---|---|
| Dining chairs | Model, seat material, finish and quantity | Fit at the selected tables, maintenance instructions and replacement parts |
| Table tops and bases | Top size, material, base model, height and fixing hardware | Manufacturer-approved pairing and assembly responsibility |
| Stools | Seat height, arms or back, upholstery and footrest | Actual counter height and space for knees and movement |
| Booths and banquettes | Dimensions, sections, upholstery and layout reference | Site measurements, fixing details and who installs |
| Patio furniture | Products intended for the outdoor conditions | Weather exposure, storage plan and care limits |
| Supporting furniture | Host stand, service stations, waiting seats and storage | Ownership in the furniture or contractor package |
Check compatibility before comparing unit prices
Price the complete table assembly. A lower top price can be misleading if it excludes bases, mounting plates or hardware included in another quote. Ask the supplier to confirm the intended top-and-base combination rather than treating any base with a matching color as interchangeable. Plymold’s commercial table range separates tops, bases and outdoor tables, illustrating the distinct components a buyer needs to resolve.
For chairs and stools, request a specification sheet and consider a sample alongside the actual table or counter. Check overall dimensions, seat position, handling weight and cleaning guidance. If seating has a stated test result, ask which model and configuration the report covers. Do not treat a broad marketing phrase as a substitute for product-specific evidence.
Treat indoor and patio requirements separately
Specify where the furniture will be used, including covered patios that may still experience rain, sunlight or moisture. Indoor-looking furniture is not automatically suitable outside. Plymold’s published warranty, for example, distinguishes indoor furniture from its outdoor products. Read the selected manufacturer’s own use and care limits instead of generalizing from appearance.
Include where the furniture goes when the patio closes, whether items stack or fold, and what equipment staff will use to move them. If furniture must pass through a narrow door or down steps to reach storage, check the actual product and route before ordering. Record these as purchasing requirements, not problems for opening-week staff to solve.
Make the delivery and installation scope explicit
Ask the quote to separate merchandise, freight, unloading, inside delivery, assembly and packaging removal. State whether there is a loading dock, a lift, restricted receiving hours or a need to bring items through a finished dining room. Identify the person authorized to receive the goods and record shortages or damage.
A single “delivered” total may not include the same work from every supplier. Compare the inclusions line by line, along with payment milestones, sample approvals, lead-time start conditions and any storage charges if the site is delayed. Keep the construction completion date separate from furniture installation; the room must be ready for the work you are asking the delivery team to perform.
Send a restaurant furniture sourcing brief
Start with the location, opening target, dining and bar counts, furniture categories and layout or measurements already available. Note which pieces must match existing furniture and which choices are still open. If you have two layouts under consideration, keep them as separate alternatives so neither quotation accidentally combines both.
The opening planner is a starting point for your project inquiry. For related cost coordination, read the fit-out budget framework and identify furniture costs separately from construction and equipment allowances.
Common questions
Can I order chairs using the advertised seat capacity alone?
Use a furniture count from the actual planned table and booth arrangements. A total capacity figure does not identify how many loose chairs, stools or booth sections you need.
Should table tops and bases be quoted separately?
They can be separate lines, but request a confirmed compatible complete assembly and identify any hardware and assembly labor excluded from the price.
Bring your furniture list into the opening plan
Tell us the property type, location, stage and furniture requirements. A rough scope is enough to start a useful project conversation.
Discuss your opening project