Sell Your Restaurant in Ohio
We help owners sell restaurants in Central and Eastern Ohio. We work with established companies where the owner wants a planned sale, a clear valuation, and a controlled process.
You decide who learns about the sale and when. We do not publish the company name. Buyers sign a non-disclosure agreement and show that they can fund a purchase before they receive identifying information.
The work starts before marketing. We review earnings, customers, contracts, employees, equipment, licenses, and the jobs or revenue expected after closing. That preparation gives buyers fewer reasons to reduce the price during diligence.
Ohio trade sales also require attention to local registrations and successor liabilities. Ohio liquor permits cannot be bought or sold directly. Ownership transfers are filed with the Ohio Division of Liquor Control through OPAL. Only disclosed owners may operate under the permit. Practitioners report 10 to 12 weeks for a standard transfer and longer with a location change or TREX transfer. A management agreement can bridge closing to approval. The local health district requires the new owner to apply for a food service license and pass an inspection. Ohio sales tax clearance under ORC 5739.14, BWC experience transfer, and unemployment successor rules also apply.
How Restaurants Are Valued
Small owner-operated companies are usually valued on Seller's Discretionary Earnings, or SDE. SDE starts with net income. It adds the owner's compensation, interest, depreciation, amortization, supported personal expenses, and costs that will not continue after closing.
Larger companies are usually valued on EBITDA. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. It leaves the cost of management in the business because the buyer expects to pay someone to replace the owner's work.
The correct measure depends on the company and the likely buyer. Buyers then apply a multiple based on the quality and durability of those earnings. Clean records, a team that stays, repeat revenue, diverse customers, and low owner dependence can support the upper end of a range. Weak reporting, concentration, short backlog, compliance gaps, and deferred equipment needs can push value down.
We use private company transaction data from BVR DealStats. The median is the middle transaction in the data set.
| Metric | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDE multiple | 1.3x | 1.8x | 2.6x |
| EBITDA multiple | 1.6x | 2.5x | 4.2x |
| Revenue multiple | — | 0.30x | — |
BVR DealStats, pulled October 1, 2026. Private company transactions with $250K to $10M in revenue, closed October 2016 to present. NAICS 722511, n=1616.
EBITDA is normally used only for larger restaurants.
A valuation also tests what the buyer receives at closing. Debt, working capital, equipment ownership, leases, and related-party arrangements affect the final structure. The headline multiple does not show what the owner keeps.
What Buyers Look For
Repeatable SDE shown in tax returns. Buyers and SBA lenders rely on tax returns, not internal reports. File returns that show the true earnings for at least the years before a sale.
Lease term and rent at 5 to 7 percent of revenue. The lease decides whether the business can stay and stay profitable. Secure enough remaining term and options before going to market.
Revenue mix across dine-in, delivery, and catering. A mix spreads risk across channels. Report sales by channel.
Staff retention. Kitchen and floor staff keep service steady through the handoff. Keep key people in place and track tenure.
A liquor permit, health license, and lease that can move to the buyer. Without these the buyer cannot operate. Confirm transfer steps with the landlord, Liquor Control, and the health district early.
Buyers do not accept a claim because it appears in a sales package. They trace it to tax returns, contracts, bank statements, job records, employee files, and operating reports. Organized records support the price and shorten diligence.
They also ask who will run the business after closing. A manager, estimator, dispatcher, crew leader, or chef who can stay may matter as much as a piece of equipment. Written procedures make that team easier to transfer.
Common Problems That Kill Deals
A lease expiring within 18 months or rent over 10 percent of revenue. Lenders and buyers back away from short or costly leases. Negotiate an extension or option before listing.
Owner or chef dependence. If the food or the guests depend on you, the buyer takes that risk. Document recipes and train a kitchen lead.
Liquor permit approval delays of 90 to 180 days that shrink the buyer pool. Long waits push some buyers away. Start the transfer early and plan a management agreement to bridge closing.
An SBA appraisal below the price. The lender will not fund the gap, so the price falls or the deal stops. Price the business on documented earnings from the start.
Most problems do not end a sale when they are found early and disclosed. They become dangerous when a buyer discovers them after signing a letter of intent. The buyer may reduce the price, demand escrow, or leave the deal.
We identify the issues before marketing. Some can be corrected. Others need a clear explanation, supporting records, and a buyer that understands the risk.
How the Sale Process Works
- Valuation. We review three years of tax returns, profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and payroll records. We build an add-back schedule. We compare the adjusted earnings with relevant transactions. You receive a range and the reasons behind it.
- Preparation. We identify reporting gaps, contract issues, customer concentration, owner dependence, and Ohio compliance items. We address what can be fixed before a buyer sees the company.
- Confidential marketing. We prepare a blind profile that does not name the company. Interested buyers sign a non-disclosure agreement and show that they can fund a purchase before receiving identifying information.
- Letter of intent. We compare the price, cash at closing, financing, working capital, escrow, transition terms, and contingencies. We negotiate the full offer before you grant exclusivity.
- Due diligence. The buyer checks the financials, tax records, contracts, employees, licenses, insurance, equipment, and operations. We manage requests and keep the buyer, lender, CPA, and attorneys moving.
- Closing. The parties finish the purchase agreement, funding, clearances, and transition plan. Six to nine months from market launch to closing is typical for a prepared business.
The company must keep operating through the process. Buyers and lenders use the newest results. A weak quarter during diligence can change the price or financing. We set a schedule, organize requests, and keep management focused on the business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a restaurant worth?
Value starts with adjusted earnings, not a rule of thumb. Smaller owner-operated companies are usually priced on SDE. Larger companies are usually priced on EBITDA. The published ranges on this page are a starting point. We confirm the current range after reviewing the financials, risks, and comparable transactions.
What records do I need to sell my restaurant?
Prepare three years of tax returns, profit and loss statements, balance sheets, payroll records, customer and contract lists, equipment records, and support for every add-back. Contractors also need a current work-in-progress schedule and backlog report when those records apply.
Will employees and customers know about the sale?
You control who learns about the sale and when. Buyers first receive a blind profile. They sign a non-disclosure agreement and complete a financial review before receiving the company name. Key employees are usually told later in the process under a transition plan.
Do I need to stay after closing?
Most buyers request a transition. The length depends on customer relationships, licenses, management depth, and how much daily work depends on the owner. The transition is negotiated before closing.
What Ohio issues matter in a restaurant sale?
Ohio liquor permits cannot be bought or sold directly. Ownership transfers are filed with the Ohio Division of Liquor Control through OPAL. Only disclosed owners may operate under the permit. Practitioners report 10 to 12 weeks for a standard transfer and longer with a location change or TREX transfer. A management agreement can bridge closing to approval. The local health district requires the new owner to apply for a food service license and pass an inspection. Ohio sales tax clearance under ORC 5739.14, BWC experience transfer, and unemployment successor rules also apply.
How long does it take to sell a restaurant?
Six to nine months from going to market to closing is typical for a prepared company. Financial cleanup, licensing gaps, lease issues, tax clearances, or buyer financing can extend the schedule.