What should I check before buying a steakhouse?

A steakhouse depends on the cut, the cooking and the room. The business carries concentrated dependencies that a general restaurant checklist can skim past. Start with what goes on the plate, then look at the people and the calendar.

Meat supply and aging

Ask who supplies the beef, how long they have supplied it and whether anything is written down. If the kitchen ages meat in-house, ask to see the space, how it is managed and who understands it. A supplier relationship built on the owner’s personal history may not carry across to you.

Broiler and cold storage

The high-heat broiler and the walk-in cooler are the working core of the kitchen. Check their age, service records and the ventilation above the cooking line. Ask what happens during an outage and how stock is protected. Replacement of either is a major expense, so have a technician inspect them before you commit.

Bar and wine

Steakhouses often earn a meaningful share from drinks. Ask for the split between food and bar, and what the cellar holds. If you plan to keep selling alcohol, read our answer on whether a liquor licence transfers, and ask your lawyer how the licence would move.

The head chef and the calendar

If a chef’s name draws the crowd, find out whether they plan to stay and on what terms. Then look at the year: anniversaries, holidays and business dinners can bunch together, with quiet stretches between. Ask how the seller handled the slow months.