SELLING, WITH CLARITY
A restaurant sale needs a clear picture of both the operation and the premises. Start with supported earnings, the lease, the team and the practical steps a new owner would need to continue trading.
Start a confidential conversationWHAT A BUYER NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND
Bring point-of-sale reports, delivery-platform records and financial statements together with your accountant. Explain dine-in, takeaway, catering and delivery separately where useful. A busy dining room and a profitable operation are different questions.
Collect the lease, amendments and renewal information. Ask your lawyer about assignment, landlord consent and any change-of-control provisions. If you own the building, clarify whether it is included in the proposed transaction or would be leased separately.
Explain food costs, staffing, opening hours and the owner’s working role. Record the condition and ownership of kitchen equipment, and identify repairs or replacements already known. Clearly separate leased or financed equipment from owned assets.
Discuss supplier relationships, reservations, gift cards, deposits and the use of the business name. Have your advisors verify any permit, liquor, food-service or other approval requirements relevant to the location and transaction. Do not assume approvals automatically transfer.
PREPARING FOR A SALE
Use this as a preparation checklist. An initial inquiry only needs your contact details and a brief introduction; keep sensitive records for a later, agreed review.
Explore business valuationFROM PREPARATION TO HANDOVER
Our business-value focus is approximately CAD5–50 million, not an annual revenue threshold. The preparation questions are editorial guidance; they do not establish a valuation, buyer interest or transferable approval.
Begin with a non-sensitive introduction. Keep customer identities, employee information and detailed financial records for a later, agreed review.
A LITTLE MORE CLARITY
A lease does not automatically prevent a sale, but its terms are central to the review. Your lawyer should examine consent, assignment and change-of-control provisions, and the buyer needs to understand the premises available after closing.
No. A sale of selected equipment differs from a transfer of an operating business with its name, relationships and ongoing commitments. Clarify what is offered before discussing price or marketing.
BEFORE THE NEXT CHAPTER
Practical reading for owners thinking about what comes next.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
Start with a confidential conversation about selling your business. A few details are all we need to begin.
A confidential first conversation
Space to explore your options
No commitment to list your business