Why “Unreported Cash” Kills Restaurant Valuation: The High Cost of Off-the-Books Income
By Dominique Maddox, CBI, EATS Broker “The restaurant makes more money than the tax returns show”, is a common phrase EATS Broker hears from restaurant sellers. For a restaurant owner preparing to sell, that statement can undermine the asking price. Unreported cash hurts restaurant valuation because buyers cannot confidently verify the earnings they are purchasing. […]
The Pros and Cons of Selling Your Restaurant vs. Passing It to Family
For many restaurant owners, their business is more than just an investment; it’s their life’s work and sometimes their biggest financial asset or liability. Years of long hours, risk, and sacrifice go into building a restaurant that serves a community. As retirement approaches, a pivotal question emerges: Do you keep the legacy in the family, […]
Selling a Restaurant: How Long Does It Really Take?
By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | EATS Broker – Dallas Restaurant Broker | www.EATSbroker.com Most restaurant owners I talk to have the same first question: “How long is this going to take?” And I get it. When you’ve been running a restaurant for years, managing staff, dealing with vendors, watching food costs, the idea of […]
Restaurant KPIs Every Owner Must Know Before Selling (or Buying) a Restaurant
By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | EATS Broker – Dallas Restaurant Broker Most restaurant owners have no idea what their business Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are or what their restaurant is worth. Until they sit down across from a buyer and the numbers tell a different story than they expected. I’ve been selling restaurants since […]
The Role of a Restaurant Broker: How They Can Help You Sell Faster
By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | EATS Broker — Dallas Restaurant Broker Most restaurant owners only sell a business once in their lifetime. That single transaction, representing years of early mornings, late nights, and financial risk, deserves more than a “for sale” sign and a prayer. It deserves a specialist. A restaurant broker is not […]
What Every Restaurant Owner Should Know Before Selling Their Business
By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | EATS Broker – Dallas Restaurant Broker | Most restaurant owners spend years, sometimes decades, building something they’re proud of and consider their “baby”. Then the day comes when they’re ready to move on. Maybe they want to retire. Maybe the grind finally caught up with them. Maybe a […]
Why Restaurant Owners in Texas Choose a Specialist Over a General Business Broker
Why Restaurant Owners in Texas Choose a Specialist Over a General Business Broker By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | Founder, EATS Broker — Dallas Restaurant Broker | www.EATSbroker.com Every week, I speak with restaurant owners across Dallas, Houston, and Austin who made the same mistake: they listed their restaurant with a general business broker — […]
New SBA Loan Rules are About to Change Who Can Buy Your Restaurant
If you are an independent restaurant owner contemplating retirement or a multi-unit franchise operator preparing to sell, the ground beneath your business valuation is shifting. On October 1, 2026 a new set of underwriting rules take effect for SBA 7(a) loans: the financing tool most of your buyers will actually use to purchase your restaurant. […]
What to Expect After Selling Your Restaurant: Life After Ownership
By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | EATS Broker – Dallas Restaurant Broker You spent years, maybe decades, building your restaurant. The early mornings, the late nights, the payroll stress, the satisfaction of a packed dining room on a Saturday. And then, finally, it sells. The deal closes. You walk out of the closing with a […]