Restaurant Sellers vs. Restaurant Buyers-Different Mindsets
Restaurant Sellers vs. Restaurant Buyers have different mindsets when it involves buying or selling a restaurant. When a restaurant owner decides to sell a restaurant, the primary goals are to get the highest sales price, highest net proceeds, remove the lease as a guarantor, and close quickly.
A restaurant buyer’s focus differs slightly from the sellers and is directly focused on the terms, conditions, and stipulations on an Asset Purchase Agreement.
An asset purchase agreement between a buyer and a seller explains the terms and conditions related to purchasing and selling a restaurant‘s assets. The Asset Purchase Agreement will automatically satisfy the restaurant owner’s needs when filled out correctly. The agreement will document the listing price and closing date.
The restaurant buyer needs to confirm that they are comfortable with the conditions and terms of an Asset Purchase Agreement before signing and setting up an escrow account. The escrow deposit is a good faith deposit that can range from $10,000-$50,000. The buyer’s deposit is protected by the stipulations documented in the purchase agreement.
Dallas Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox says, “restaurant buyers should make sure they have a trained Restaurant Broker prepare an Asset Purchase Agreement on their behalf. A Restaurant Broker knows the stipulations to add that give the buyer’s escrow deposit the most protection.”
EATS Broker has encountered several buyers that have lost their escrow deposit because they had an untrained Restaurant Broker prepare an agreement for them.
A restaurant buyer should make sure to cover the basics of a Purchase Agreement:
- Due Diligence Period
- Landlord Approval Stipulation
- Bank Lending Approval-if lending is needed
- Escrow Deposit Amount
- All UCC liens should be removed from Equipment
- Sales Tax Clearance letter supplied by the seller before the closing date
- All Equipment should be in working order
- Franchisor Approval stipulation-if restaurant is a franchise for sale
- Who pays for the Transfer Fee?
- Who pays for restaurant remodels if required by franchise?
- Closing attorney contact information
- Restaurant Equipment included in the sale
- Inventory- paid outside of purchase price or included in offer price
For more information on the restaurant market and other available consulting services or restaurant valuations, contact Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox at 404-993-4448 or by email at sales@eatsbroker.com. Visit our website at www.EATSbroker.com
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Commercial Lease Assignment: What should you know?
What should you know about a Commercial Lease Assignment before signing the lease? The lease assignment can be short and brief, but it has a tremendous impact on the capability of a restaurant owner selling a restaurant in the future.
When buying or selling a restaurant, it is essential to evaluate the strength or weakness of a commercial lease assignment language.
A restaurant owner that wants to sell a restaurant can easily be stopped by the language in their lease that covers the possibility of a lease assignment to a new tenant.
What should you know if you are negotiating a lease assignment language for a commercial lease? This blog presents a brief breakdown of some of the key points involved in a lease assignment.
When a tenant’s lease interest is assigned to a new tenant/buyer, this is called a lease assignment. The current tenant has already agreed to terms with the landlord; once the new tenant signs the lease assignment, they are now responsible for the lease terms. The landlord’s standard practice is to keep the previous tenant on the lease as a guarantor and add the new tenant.
Most negotiated leases will contain a provision requiring that landlord’s consent to an assignment is necessary, but such approval will not be unreasonably withheld. The tenant will likely also try to include the landlord’s obligation to not unreasonably delay or condition its consent, according to Attorney John G. Kelly.
Dallas Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox says, “Selling a restaurant has multiple tasks/assignments that have to be completed before restaurant ownership is transferred. Practically every commercial lease will have detailed requirements for the assignment process.
Landlord approval for a lease assignment is a critical part of the selling process. The majority of restaurant owners are clueless about the provisions in their lease for a lease assignment”.
EATS Restaurant Brokers list language to know in a commercial lease regarding a lease assignment
Assignment Fee:
This fee is payable to the landlord before a tenant can transfer the rights to a commercial lease. The amount is usually not negotiated between landlord and tenant, most leases landlord input whatever number they want.
The assignment fees usually range from $0-$10,000 (listings for sale under $2 million); it really depends on the landlord and the language in the lease. The lease assignment fee majority of the time, is paid by the seller.
EATS Restaurant Brokers tip: Read the lease before signing and know how much the assignment fee will cost you.
Financial Qualifications:
Landlords have several different qualifying metrics a tenant should pass before getting approved for a lease. The lease assignment language should not be as strict as the current lease for a new tenant because the business is up and running, usually generating sales.
Depending on the landlord, EATS Restaurant Brokers has seen lease assignments that automatically approve a new tenant if they keep the lease space the same franchise brand. But also seen lease assignment language where the new tenant has to have as much or more liquid assets as the previous tenant. This can be an unreasonable requirement if the first tenant is financially well off when signing the original lease.
Renewal Option
The renewal option gives a tenant the right to extend a commercial lease expiring in the future. Lease options are usually extended by 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years.
Renewal options should have specific language on the conditions required for a tenant to extend an expiring lease. Many leases need a tenant to give 90-180 days’ written notice to confirm if the tenant plans to extend the lease.
Restaurant owners who are trying to sell a restaurant and lease are about to expire might think they will just have the new buyer sign the tenant.
If the window to provide a landlord with a written notice has expired, the landlord has the right to refuse to agree to a lease assignment.
EATS Restaurant Brokers Tip: The restaurant owner should know how far in advance written notice to extend the lease is required to the landlord.
For more information on the restaurant market and other available consulting services or restaurant valuations, contact Dominique Maddox at 404-993-4448 or by email at sales@eatsbroker.com. Visit our website at www.EATSbroker.com
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Independent Owned Restaurants-How to Build Value?
As an Independent Owned Restaurant, how do you increase restaurant value for resale besides good food and environment? Independent Owned Restaurants for sale usually sell for less than Franchise Owned Restaurants.
Franchise Restaurants for sale provide a potential buyer with systems, training, and brand awareness to customers; these are non-tangible items that improve resale value.
The best time as a non-franchise restaurant to start thinking about organizing and operating your restaurant like a franchise is at the very beginning. Start thinking about training manuals, required training time for a position, social media presence, and misc.
60% of Independent owned restaurant operators will fail within three years of opening the doors for business. 80% will close within 5 years. The reality of opening a restaurant is you should always have an exit plan.
When it’s time to sell a restaurant, how does a non-franchise restaurant for sale increase its odds of selling a restaurant to a new buyer?
Dallas Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox says, “ my suggestions to improve value are create a story behind the establishment, cook from scratch, have fantastic food, and create systems easy to follow.
After ten years of selling restaurants, I have found that non-franchise-owned restaurants for sale that are not unique and organized usually don’t sell.
EATS Restaurant Brokers provides TIPS to improve value!
- Story behind establishment: Have a story behind your restaurant; people relate and remember stories. This is one of the best ways to build brand loyalty from customers. Make sure your customers can read your story by posting on the wall, website, cups, etc.
Has the restaurant been passed down from generation to generation? Did a unique passion project inspire the owner to start the restaurant? These are exciting stories that make a restaurant unique. Key take-away people remember stories!
- Create Systems: The POS system should be updated to record all valuable sales information. POS systems are useful tools to analyze to improve restaurant profitability.
Create Training Manual: A manual with all the training material needed for a new operator is a valuable tool. The manual should have the job descriptions for each position. The manual should describe the process and time requirements for new hires.
- Unique Food– Do you have a unique cooking style, use exciting ingredients, how is the presentation? Outstanding food and experience will always get customers talking about a restaurant. Word of mouth referrals is the best and cheapest way to grow your restaurant.
Create a unique style of cooking that customers have to visit your restaurant to enjoy. Besides the type of cooking is the taste of food. The best non-franchise restaurants cook from scratch.
Create a menu book that lists all of the cooking recipes, measurements required and cooking time.
The suggestions listed in this blog are intended to help an Independently owned restaurant owner sell a restaurant business in the future. These tips should help the restaurant operator stand out from the competition.
Want more help selling a restaurant? Contact Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox at 404-993-4448 or by email at sales@eatsbroker.com. Visit our website at www.EATSbroker.com
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