The fastest way in.

Three places to start, picked by the Deavo editorial team for hospitality & food buyers and sellers.

Guide
Where value hides in a restaurant sale

Lease terms, licence status and equipment condition can matter more to a buyer than last year’s sales.

Read →
Playbook
Selling a restaurant or franchise

A start-to-finish walkthrough: franchisor consent, lease assignment and liquor licensing.

Read →
Course
Valuing a hospitality business

A short self-paced track on why thin-margin SDE multiples work differently, plus Canadian benchmarks.

Read →
Sector snapshot

Hospitality & food, by the numbers.

1.5–3.0×
Typical SDE multiple
4–8 mo
Avg. time to sell
#1
Diligence snag: lease & licence transfer

Figures are illustrative ranges based on comparable Canadian transactions, not a valuation, deal or investment opinion — a human reviews any number you rely on.

№ iThe Learn Hub

Search, and you shall find.

3 curated resources·1 guide·1 article·1 checklist—all free
№ iiBrowse by format

However you like to learn.

Eight free formats covering every stage of a hospitality & food deal.

1 article

Articles

Short reads answering one restaurant-deal question at a time.
1 guide

Guides

Step-by-step walkthroughs for buying or selling a restaurant.
Coming soon

Courses

Self-paced tracks that follow a hospitality deal, start to finish.
Free · ask any time

Ask an Expert

Plain-language answers, or send a question of your own.
Coming soon

Glossary

Plain-English definitions for hospitality M&A terms.
Updated with the benchmarks

Data & Statistics

Sector benchmarks sourced from Statistics Canada & ISED.
Coming soon

Videos & Podcasts

Deavo staff explaining restaurant deals in plain English.
Free · no spam

Newsletter

One short update when we publish something worth your time.
№ iiiStart with your situation

What are you dealing with?

Each path bundles the guides, articles and expert answers that actually apply to you.

I’m ready to sell my restaurant
Explore this path →
I don’t know what it’s worth
Explore this path →
I’m buying my first restaurant
Explore this path →
Diligence is overwhelming
Explore this path →
How do I finance the purchase?
Explore this path →
Licences & lease before I close
Explore this path →
Inside a path: “I’m ready to sell my restaurant”
01Article
Liquor licences and health permits in a sale
02Guide
Selling a restaurant or franchise in Canada
03Expert Answer
“How much is my restaurant worth?”
№ ivFresh from the library

Editor’s picks.

See what’s new →
Editor’s pick
Valuing a business with thin margins
Guide · 8 min read
New
Financing a restaurant purchase (incl. CSBFP)
Article · 6 min read
Coming soon
Due diligence for restaurants and franchises
Video & podcast · in production
№ viStay in the loop

Not sure where to start?

Tell us if you’re buying or selling a hospitality business — we’ll point you to the right guides.

Sources

Every regulatory requirement and figure referenced on this hospitality & food page traces to a primary source. Links were last checked on the dates shown.

  1. 01
    Alcohol and Gaming Commission of OntarioRegulator
    Transferring a Liquor Sales Licence
    agco.ca·Checked Aug 14, 2026
  2. 02
    Alcohol and Gaming Commission of OntarioRegulator
    Manage your liquor sales licence
    agco.ca·Checked Aug 14, 2026
  3. 03
    Treadstone LawLegal commentary
    Food Premises Licensing When Buying or Selling a Restaurant in Ontario
    treadstonelaw.ca·Checked Aug 14, 2026
  4. 04
    Treadstone LawLegal commentary
    Franchisor Consent to Transfer
    treadstonelaw.ca·Checked Aug 14, 2026
  5. 05
    Treadstone LawLegal commentary
    Buying an Existing Franchise Resale in Ontario (Arthur Wishart Act)
    treadstonelaw.ca·Checked Aug 14, 2026
  6. 06
    Treadstone LawLegal commentary
    Getting Landlord Consent to Assign a Commercial Lease in an Ontario Business Sale
    treadstonelaw.ca·Checked Aug 14, 2026

Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.