By Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE | EATS Broker — Dallas Restaurant Broker
Most restaurant owners have no idea there’s a difference between a restaurant broker and a general business broker. To the average owner who has never sold a restaurant before, a broker is a broker. That assumption can cost you tens of thousands of dollars — or worse, cost you the deal entirely.
I’ve been selling restaurants since 2010. I’ve worked inside one of the nation’s largest restaurant brokerage firms and I’ve seen exactly what happens when a restaurant owner lists with the wrong broker. The truth is, restaurants are not like other businesses for sale. They have leases, franchise agreements, health inspections, POS systems, perishable inventory, kitchen equipment, and employees who show up to work every day, all while the deal is happening in secret. A generalist who sells laundromats and landscaping companies on Tuesday is not the right person to handle a Firehouse Subs franchise resale on Wednesday.
At EATS Broker, we sell one thing: restaurants. Bars. Nightclubs. Franchise resales. Independent concepts. That’s it. And that focus is exactly why restaurant owners across Dallas, Houston, and Austin trust us to represent their most valuable asset.
What Separates a Restaurant Broker from a General Business Broker
A general business broker handles every type of business that comes through the door. That breadth might sound like an advantage — until you realize that selling a restaurant requires specialized knowledge that most general brokers simply don’t have.
Here is what a qualified restaurant broker brings to the table that a generalist cannot:
- Franchise system knowledge. Understanding the approval process, transfer fees, training requirements, and FDD compliance for brands like Papa John’s, Marco’s Pizza, Jimmy John’s, and Firehouse Subs is non-negotiable in a franchise resale. Franchise brands require buyer approval. A misstep in the process can kill a deal weeks before closing.
- Lease assignment expertise. Most restaurant transactions involve a commercial lease transfer. A restaurant broker knows how to approach the landlord, what concessions to request, and how to keep the lease from becoming a deal-breaker.
- Restaurant-specific valuation. Restaurants are valued based on Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE) or EBITDA — not on gross revenue alone. An experienced restaurant broker reads P&L statements, identifies add-backs, and builds a defensible price that attracts serious buyers without scaring them off.
- A pre-qualified buyer network. At EATS Broker, our buyer pool consists of people who specifically want to buy restaurants. Not a dry cleaner. Not a staffing agency. A restaurant. Every buyer who accesses confidential financials must sign an NDA and provide proof of funds first.
- Confidential marketing. Employees, vendors, and competitors cannot know your restaurant is for sale. We know how to list a restaurant publicly without revealing its identity — protecting your operations throughout the sale process.
These are not skills that transfer from selling HVAC businesses in Frisco or insurance agencies in Plano. They are built through years of restaurant-exclusive deal experience.
Restaurant Broker Tip: Before signing a listing agreement with any broker, ask them: “How many restaurants have you personally sold in the last 12 months?” The answer will tell you everything you need to know about whether they can actually get your deal to the closing table.
National Volume vs. Boutique Expertise: What Restaurant Owners in Texas Deserve
Large national brokerage firms compete on volume. They have hundreds of listings across dozens of states, large marketing budgets, and recognizable brand names. For a restaurant owner in Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio, that national presence might feel reassuring. But ask yourself: when you call that firm, are you talking to a dedicated restaurant specialist — or to whoever picked up the phone?
At EATS Broker, you always work directly with Dominique Maddox, CBI, CFE — a Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) through the IBBA and a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) through the International Franchise Association. That dual designation is held by very few restaurant brokers in the country. It means your listing is handled by someone who understands both the business valuation side of the deal and the franchise compliance side of the deal simultaneously.
Boutique does not mean small capacity. It means focused capacity. We are licensed in Texas and Georgia, we have closed deals across 10 states, and we carry IBBA Outstanding Producer Awards for 2024 and 2025. We have represented national franchise brands including Papa John’s, Firehouse Subs, Schlotzsky’s, Jimmy John’s, and Marco’s Pizza in resale transactions. Our clients are not a number in a queue — they are the reason we built this firm.
For restaurant owners in the DFW Metroplex, Greater Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Fort Worth markets, the question is not whether to hire a broker. The question is whether to hire a broker who actually specializes in restaurants.
The EATS Broker Difference: A Proven Process Built Exclusively for Restaurant Sales
When you list with EATS Broker, you enter a structured 7-phase sales process designed from the ground up for the restaurant industry. This is not a repurposed residential real estate process or a generic business sales template. Every step reflects how restaurant transactions actually work.
- Phase 1 — Pre-Sale Preparation: We help you gather three years of P&L statements, your lease and amendments, and an equipment list. We identify any operational issues that could reduce your sale price or slow down the deal.
- Phase 2 — Valuation & Listing: You receive a complimentary restaurant valuation using SDE-based methodology. We build your marketing package and list your restaurant on major platforms with full confidentiality controls in place.
- Phase 3 — Buyer Discovery: Qualified buyers sign a Confidentiality Agreement before receiving any identifying information. We review their financial qualifications before you ever meet them.
- Phase 4 — Offer & Negotiation: We draft the Asset Purchase Agreement and guide both parties through the negotiation. You stay focused on running your restaurant while we manage the deal.
- Phase 5 — Due Diligence: Buyers request tax returns, POS sales data, and operational documentation. We coordinate the flow of information to keep the process moving without disrupting your business.
- Phase 6 — Franchise & Landlord Coordination: We initiate the lease assignment process with your landlord and coordinate with the franchisor (if applicable) on buyer approval and training timelines.
- Phase 7 — Closing: We work with the closing attorney, confirm escrow deposits, coordinate inventory counts, and ensure all parties arrive at the table ready to close.
On average, restaurants take 6 to 8 months to sell. Our job is to protect your interests, your confidentiality, and your sale price every step of the way.
No Upfront Fees. No Listing Fees. No Valuation Fees.
Restaurant owners ask me all the time: what does it cost to list with EATS Broker? My answer is always the same: nothing until we sell your restaurant.
We charge no upfront fees. No listing fees. No valuation fees. No marketing fees. You pay EATS Broker at the closing table, and only when the deal is done. That model aligns our interests with yours: we get paid when you get paid.
This matters because selling a restaurant already comes with costs — legal fees, closing costs, franchise transfer fees, physical inventory adjustments. Adding a large upfront broker retainer on top of that creates a financial burden before you’ve received a single dollar from your sale. We eliminate that risk entirely.
Restaurant Broker Tip: If a broker is asking you to pay a fee before your restaurant is listed or sold, ask them exactly what that fee covers — and what happens to it if your restaurant doesn’t sell. At EATS Broker, that conversation never happens. We don’t charge you until we close.
Credentials That Matter When It’s Time to Sell
The restaurant brokerage industry is largely unregulated. In most states, anyone can call themselves a business broker and list your restaurant tomorrow. Credentials separate professionals who have done the work from those who have not.
Dominique Maddox holds the Certified Business Intermediary (CBI) designation from the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) — the gold standard in the business brokerage industry. The CBI requires demonstrated deal experience, continuing education, and adherence to a professional code of ethics. He also holds the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation from the International Franchise Association — making him one of the very few restaurant brokers in the nation who holds both designations simultaneously.
EATS Broker has received the IBBA Outstanding Producer Award for both 2024 and 2025. Dominique has been recognized in Marquis Who’s Who for expertise in restaurant franchise resales. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Texas and Georgia, an active member of IBBA, TABB, and GABB, and has successfully closed transactions across 10 states.
These credentials are not decorative. They represent the standard of representation you deserve when it comes time to sell the restaurant you have spent years building.
The Bottom Line for Texas Restaurant Owners
If you own a restaurant in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, or anywhere in Texas and you’re thinking about selling — the broker you choose matters more than you think. National generalist firms have volume. They have brand recognition. What they don’t always have is a dedicated restaurant broker who lives and breathes restaurant resales every single day.
At EATS Broker, restaurants are not one of the many things we sell. They are the only thing we sell. That exclusivity is your advantage at the negotiating table, at the due diligence phase, and at the closing table.
Ready to Find Out What Your Restaurant Is Actually Worth?
Whether you’ve been planning your exit for years or this week’s numbers finally pushed you to make the call — the first step is the same.
✅ Get Your Complimentary Restaurant Valuation → www.EATSbroker.com/restaurant-valuations
📞 Book a Confidential Consultation → www.EATSbroker.com/contact-us | 404-993-4448
EATS Broker serves restaurant owners and buyers across Dallas, Houston, Austin, and nationwide.