What if the reason you gave away a piece of your restaurant is a myth you never bothered to test?
Most operators believe banks will not touch a restaurant, so they go straight to investors, credit cards, or whatever money is easiest to reach. Ami Kassar has placed over a billion dollars in small business loans, and he says the restaurant exception does not exist.
In this conversation, we get into why a line of credit belongs in your business before you need it, how the cash advance built into your point of sale locks you out of real financing, and why the monthly payment matters more than the rate.
If you have never asked whether your restaurant is bankable, this is the episode that makes you ask.
The Playbook Takeaways
- The restaurant exception is a myth. Ami Kassar has placed over a billion dollars in small business loans, and he says the idea that banks will not touch a restaurant simply is not true. Operators give away equity because they never tested the assumption.
- Put a line of credit in place before you need it. Financing is easiest to secure when you are not desperate for it, which is exactly when most owners never think to ask.
- Watch the monthly payment, not the rate. The cash advance built into your point of sale can lock you out of real financing, and the number that decides whether a loan is survivable is what leaves your account each month.
Want the systems behind ideas like these? Josh runs a free 5-day restaurant marketing masterclass at restaurantbusinessschool.com.
Keep going: how to build a restaurant business plan lenders take seriously, the levers that actually move restaurant profitability, and what a restaurant consultant does.
To learn more about MultiFunding and their work helping entrepreneurs find the right financing, visit multifunding.com.
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Free 5-Day Restaurant Marketing Masterclass – This is a live training where you’ll learn the exact campaigns Josh has built and tested in real restaurants to attract new guests, increase visit frequency, and generate sales on demand. Save your spot at restaurantbusinessschool.com
About the Author: Josh Kopel is a Michelin-awarded restaurateur, host of the Full Comp podcast, and creator of the Restaurant Scaling System, which helps independent owners grow profitable restaurants through AI-powered marketing. More about Josh · Learn with Josh
