Restaurant opening and holiday uniform timeline
Standard turnaround at Battle Born Clothing is 28 days from proof approval. Add time for sizes, proofs and shipping and the real answer is: order seven to eight weeks before you need uniforms on bodies. Here is the schedule.
The clock starts at proof approval, not at the quote
Quotes usually go out the same business day. The 28 days start when you approve the digital proof. Days spent collecting sizes or revising artwork are on your side of the line, so the fastest orders are the ones that arrive with a clean logo and a finished roster.
Week-by-week for a new opening
| Weeks before opening | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8 | Send logo, position list and estimated counts on the quote form. Quote same business day. |
| 7 | Finalize the roster and sizes. Approve the proof. The 28-day clock starts. |
| 6 to 4 | Blanks ordered from SanMar Reno or S&S; digitizing and screens made; production. |
| 3 | Order ships. Allow a week for ground shipping across the country. |
| 2 | Uniforms arrive. Hand out, check sizes, note any gaps. |
| 1 | Place a small top-up for new hires if needed (priced at the 12-23 tier). |
| 0 | Open. |
Holiday season
Holiday staffing peaks from mid-November through New Year's. Suppliers also get busy, and blank stock in popular colors thins out. Order by the end of September to have uniforms by early November without a rush charge.
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| By Sept 30 | Quote and proof approved |
| Late October | Order ships |
| Early November | Uniforms on seasonal hires |
| After Oct 1 | Rush quoted per job; we will tell you what is realistic |
What slows orders down
- Artwork that is not vector and has to be redrawn.
- Rosters that change after the proof is approved.
- Blank colors that are out of stock at the nearest warehouse; we pull from the next closest, which adds transit days.
- Brand-name polos (Nike, OGIO, Carhartt) that are quoted per job.
What speeds them up
- Choose pieces that need no sizes: aprons and hats.
- Stick to stocked basics: Port Authority A500, K500, PC61, Richardson 112.
- Approve the proof the day it arrives.
- Order buffer stock now rather than a second order later.
Seasonal patios and summer hires
Patio season brings the same crunch as the holidays on a smaller scale. If you add 10 servers every May, order their aprons and hats in March. Aprons and hats need no sizes, so you can order the whole summer set before you have hired anyone. Beanies for winter door staff follow the same logic in reverse: order in September.
Rebrands
A rebrand is an opening without the construction delays. The step most people skip is the proof: new logos often have fine detail that needs simplifying for embroidery, and that back-and-forth is faster before the proof than after. Send the new vector files as soon as the designer finalizes them, even before you know the counts, so digitizing can start. Then send the roster when it is ready.
Rush
Rush is quoted per job, not from a chart. Tell us the real date on the quote form and what you need first. Often the aprons and hats can go ahead while the sized pieces follow.
Questions
How long does a reorder take?
The same 28 days from proof approval as a standard order, though reorders skip digitizing and the proof is usually approved the same day.
Can we get part of the order early?
Ask. A split ship is quoted per job and usually practical for no-size pieces like aprons and hats.
Do you ship to a new location before it opens?
Yes, to any US address you give us. Make sure someone is there to receive it.