Do you plan to sell a restaurant? What are the worst decisions when selling a restaurant? EATS Broker will provide an inside look at why some restaurant sellers can be disappointed when it’s time to sell a restaurant.
Did you know only 20%-30% of the restaurants listed on the market will sell to a new owner? With the odds stacked against a restaurant owner for success, there are strategies to use to increase the chances of success when selling a restaurant.
Texas Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox says, “I always ask a restaurant owner before providing a restaurant valuation, how much do you think your restaurant is worth? The response I receive helps me understand the mindset and expectations of the restaurant owner”.
EATS Broker turns down several potential restaurant for-sale listings because of 4 reasons:
- Overpriced Restaurant for Sale-Over pricing a restaurant for sale lowers the chances of a
restaurant selling. Buyers are more educated than ever regarding restaurant valuations and multiples used to create a listing price.
Restaurant owners are known to list with Restaurant Brokers or Business Brokers based on the Brokers providing the listing price they want rather than what the restaurant is worth. The practice of putting overpriced listings on the market is common.
This strategy increases the number of days it takes for a restaurant to sell, and qualified buyers will avoid the listing because they are educated about the market.
- Being unrealistic as a restaurant owner-Restaurant owners have to understand selling a restaurant is like a slower cooker and not a pressure cooker. It takes an average of 6-8 months to sell a restaurant. Only 20%-30% of restaurants listed for sale will actually sell to a new buyer.
Restaurant owners should know they must be ready to negotiate terms with a ready, able, and willing buyer. Every deal is different, and all deals that go under contract will not close.
- Books and records-Buyers are interested in the financials when buying a restaurant and want to check and verify its performance. Restaurant owners with books and records that are not clean, organized, and available to provide to buyers usually will not sell.
- List for buildout cost– Buyers don’t buy a restaurant based on the buildout cost. One of the worst decisions a restaurant owner can make is to justify the listing price based on the money spent on the restaurant’s buildout.
The restaurant can easily cost $300,000-$1,000,000 to build out the restaurant before opening the doors and making one dollar of profit. Most improvements to the restaurant’s leased space belong to the landlord because they are attachments to the building.
60% of restaurants close within 1-3 years of opening the doors, and 80% close within five years. A restaurant that is not profitable is listed on the market as an Asset Sale, which gets sold for pennies on the dollar.
Restaurant Broker Tip: Restaurant owners are shocked when they learn they don’t own the hood system, walk-in coolers, and other attachments. Whether the restaurant owner paid for the items during the buildout phase doesn’t matter.
**Don’t go broke on the buildout**
To learn more about EATS Broker consulting services or receive a complimentary restaurant valuation, contact Dallas Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox at 404-993-4448 or email at [email protected]. Visit our website at www.EATSbroker.com
