Can I sell my restaurant myself, without a broker?

Many restaurant owners sell directly, and your lawyer can confirm what applies to you. What changes is the workload, and a restaurant adds problems an office business does not. People can walk in and look, staff talk, and regulars notice change. If you go it alone, plan the privacy first and the advertising second.

Screen the buyer before the tour

In a restaurant, a curious customer and a serious buyer can look the same. Before anyone sees the kitchen, ask for a short profile, proof they can finance a purchase, and a signed confidentiality agreement. Ask your lawyer to supply the wording. Someone who will not sign is telling you something.

Show the kitchen outside service

Arrange tours before opening or after closing, and never in the middle of a rush. Keep the visit short, bring the equipment list and let the buyer’s own advisers inspect later. Decide in advance what you will tell any staff who are present, and keep it truthful and brief.

Keep staff and regulars in the dark, for now

Staff who hear early may leave, and guests who hear early may drift. Decide who has to know and when, and tell them yourself. Brokers often handle this by keeping the name of the business out of any advertising, which a private seller can copy.

Handle the landlord yourself

The buyer will probably need the landlord’s agreement to take over the lease, so raise it with the landlord at the right moment and ask what the landlord will want to see. Your lawyer should read every lease clause involved. This comparison for any business sold without a broker covers the general case.