Should I fix kitchen equipment before selling my restaurant?

Start with a walk-through as a buyer would. Note what fails to work, what works poorly and what is simply old. Items that stop service, such as a cooler that struggles or a fryer with a faulty control, are worth repairing before anyone visits. Small fixes also show the place was cared for. Keep the paperwork: service records, receipts, warranties and manuals. A clean file gives buyers confidence and reduces haggling. Decide which items are staying with the sale and make a list, noting what is owned outright and what is leased or financed.

For older or costly equipment, consider disclosing its condition and letting the buyer decide. Spending a lot on a repair that a buyer will replace is hard to recover. Your accountant can tell you how repair costs and the sale affect your taxes, and your broker or lawyer can advise on what the agreement should say about condition. Never hide a known fault. It tends to surface during inspection or after closing. Ask any broker you work with how buyers in your area usually react to older equipment, so your repair choices match what actual buyers care about.

Key takeaways

• Repair anything that affects safety or daily service.
• Gather service records, manuals and warranties into one file.
• List which equipment is owned, leased or financed.
• Disclose known faults rather than hoping they go unnoticed.