Coffee Shop Furniture Lead Times: Ordering, Packing and Shipping Your Cafe Seating

Short answer: Cafe furniture ordered from our Foshan factory typically takes 30-45 days to make for standard designs and 45-60 days for custom pieces, once drawings and samples are approved, plus sea freight, customs and delivery. For a small coffee shop that usually means a shared container (LCL) or a 20ft container, with chairs in cartons and tables knocked down. If you have a lease start date and an opening date, tell us both on day one.

Crema Seat (a line by EASEN Commercial Furniture) makes cafe chairs, small tables, window bars and lounge corners in our own production base in Lecong, Foshan. Opening a cafe means juggling builders, espresso machine installers and health inspections. Furniture should be the calm part. Here is how to keep it that way.

How early should I order cafe furniture?

Earlier than feels necessary. The part people forget is everything around the factory work: choosing finishes, approving a sample chair, waiting for a ship, and getting the boxes from the port to your door.

A simple way to think about it:

Your quote confirms the actual timeline for your order.

The happiest openings we see are the ones where furniture is ordered at the same moment the builder is booked. Production runs while walls go up, and the boxes arrive once the floor is sealed and the paint is dry. That way the last week before opening is spent dialing in the grinder, not chasing a delivery.

How do chairs and tables travel?

Cafe furniture is mostly small pieces, which makes it efficient to ship if it is packed thoughtfully.

Chairs. Bentwood and wood cafe chairs usually ship assembled, wrapped and boxed, because their glued joints are what make them last. Steel and stackable chairs nest together in one carton. Upholstered chairs like the Saffron Drum Chair ship assembled with extra corner protection.

Tables. Tops and bases are packed separately. Bases come apart into column and foot; tops are wrapped with edge guards. A stone top, such as on a sintered stone four-top, travels upright in a wooden crate.

Window bars and benches. Counters and benches ship as sections, with brackets and fixings bagged and labeled.

Lounge pieces. Sofas and lounge chairs are film-wrapped and boxed, sometimes with legs removed to save space.

Every carton is labeled with the item and quantity, so you can unbox in the right order. Wooden crates and pallets are ISPM 15 heat-treated and stamped.

Will my order fill a container?

A typical neighborhood cafe does not fill a big container, and that is fine.

• LCL (shared container): your cartons share space with other cargo. Good for a small cafe or for adding a few pieces later.
• 20ft container: a full cafe of chairs, tables and a lounge corner can often fit.
• 40ft or 40ft high cube: a larger cafe, a second site, or furniture for several stores in one go.

Before you book, we send a packing list with every carton's size, so you or your forwarder can choose. Mixed orders are welcome.

Shipping terms in plain words

• FOB: we load it on the ship in China. You arrange the sea freight, customs and delivery.
• CIF: we also pay the ship and insurance to your port. You handle customs and the last leg.
• DDP: we deliver to your door with customs and duties paid. The easiest choice for a first-time importer.

Any of these can be quoted.

Bringing it into the US

1. A customs broker files your ISF before the container leaves China, then the customs entry.
2. You will need a customs bond; your broker arranges it.
3. Furniture from China carries normal duty plus additional Section 301 tariffs, which have changed over the years. Ask your broker for the current position before you set your budget.
4. West Coast ports are the shorter ocean route from South China; East Coast cafes can be served by an all-water route or a West Coast landing plus rail.

Bringing it into the UK

Since Brexit, imports into Great Britain need a GB EORI number. Customs duty may apply depending on how your furniture is classified, and import VAT is charged; if you are VAT-registered you can usually reclaim it. A customs agent or freight forwarder will lodge the declaration for you. Wooden packaging must meet ISPM 15.

This is general information, not customs or tax advice.

Paying and checking before it ships

You pay a deposit to start production and the balance before shipment. Before you pay the balance, we send photos and video of your finished chairs and tables: colors, fabric, finish, and the packed cartons. If you would like an independent check, you are welcome to send a third-party inspector to the factory.

Your cafe furniture timeline checklist

1. Count your seats against the floor plan and local rules.
2. Choose chairs and tables, and order a sample chair if unsure.
3. Approve fabric and wood tone on real swatches.
4. Approve drawings.
5. Pick a shipping term and, unless DDP, a customs broker.
6. Approve pre-shipment photos and pay the balance.
7. Arrange delivery when the floor and paint are finished.
8. Keep a corner free to unbox, and recycle the cartons.

Mistakes cafe owners make with furniture timing

• Ordering after the fit-out starts. By then you are already late.
• Choosing colors on a phone. Ask for swatches.
• Taking delivery into a building site. Dust and paint ruin new upholstery.
• No storage plan. Cartons arrive all at once; you need space.
• Forgetting spares. A couple of extra chairs save you later.

Browse cafe chairs and cafe tables when you are ready to plan.

FAQ

How long does it take to get coffee shop furniture from China?

Typically 30-45 days of production for standard designs or 45-60 days for custom work after approval, plus shipping, customs and delivery. Your quote confirms the date.

Do cafe chairs arrive assembled?

Most wood and upholstered chairs do. Stacking chairs nest, and tables arrive with tops and bases separate.

Can a small cafe order be shipped?

Yes. Small orders go LCL in a shared container.

Do you ship cafe furniture to the UK?

Yes. You will need a GB EORI number, and a customs agent handles the import declaration and VAT.