Advice for Buying a Restaurant and Selling a Restaurant

We Sell Restaurants closes on another restaurant for sale transaction; the sale of the Howard's Famous Corned Beef and Deli in Boca Raton, Florida

We Sell Restaurants is pleased to announce the sale of Howard's Famous Corned Beef and Deli located at 3571 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton, Florida. Sal Angrisani of Greenacres, Florida acquired the company from Howard Rich.  The transaction was handled by Ken Eisenband, Franchise Partner with We Sell Restaurants for Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

Howard's Famous Corned Beef and Deli is an outstanding location that’s been described as one of the most authentic delis in Boca Raton, Florida. The concept features signature corned beef that is cooked in-house as well as smoked salmon. They offer half pound sandwiches with their daily fresh breads. Howard's Famous Corned Beef and Deli also offers catering service and onsite beer and wine sales.

The seller, Howard Rich, said of his experience with Ken Eisenband, “I listed my restaurant for sale with Ken Eisenband and We Sell Restaurants. The process was very easy, and he brought in many prospects. Once we were in contract for sale, Ken was very organized and guided me through the entire process. I would definitely recommend Ken and We Sell Restaurants to anyone looking to sell their restaurant.”

Eric Gagnon, President of We Sell Restaurants said of the transaction, “Ken is an excellent Franchise Partner and one of the strongest players in the competitive business for sale marketplace in South Florida.  He is a consistent top producer for the brand and the state with excellent feedback from his clients.”

Ken Eisenband is the multi-unit Franchise Partner for Broward County and Palm Beach County Florida, the southern part of the Sunshine state. Ken leads two offices for We Sell Restaurants with distinction and directs a team of Restaurant Brokers as a multi-unit owner. Ken is a member of the Business Brokers of Florida Association where for multiple years he has received the prestigious Dealmaker Award as one of the top 5 transaction agents in the state of Florida as well as receiving the Million Dollar Club award.

Ken graduated with Honors from The School of Hospitality at Michigan State University in 1983 and has thirty years of experience in the restaurant industry.  In 1996 Ken joined Ruby Tuesday’s finance team as an analyst working closely with the Real Estate department and Vice President of Operations on site selection and feasibility studies. Ken can be reached by phone at (561)-350-3365 or by email – ken@wesellrestaurants.com. His listings can be found online at wesellrestaurants.com.

We Sell Restaurants is the nation’s largest restaurant brokerage firm, specializing in restaurants for sale, restaurants for lease and franchise restaurant resales.  Found online at https://www.wesellrestaurants.com, We Sell Restaurants operates in 45 states nationwide assisting those buying or selling a restaurant.  

What were the best restaurants for sale across the nation in October of 2019?  They ranged from the first place position in Austin Texas where a second generation space drove activity, to the tenth position in Alpharetta Georgia that still beat out 525 other restaurant for sale locations to hit the top ten. 

Was the activity focused on franchise or independent? Were high volume or low volume the high traffic creators?  70% of the listings were in Atlanta or the Atlanta metro this month. They all represented unmatched traffic and an unrivaled appetite for acquisition of restaurants that are available in the market today.

We reviewed the views, calls and feedback from our nearly 80,000 buyers in our database to determine which are the "best restaurants for sale in the month of October, 2019.

Listing ID:7227 Restaurant Broker Dave Duce     Huge Restaurant for Sale - Second generation location in Austin Texas. Lease: expires November 2020 Monthly Rent: $6700, Inside Sq. Ft. 4266, Outside Sq. Ft. 0 Price:$90,000 City:Austin Dave Duce (512) 773-5272 The top business listed for the month and the highest amount of activity was recorded on a second generation space in Austin Texas listed by Franchise Partner and Restaurant Broker Dave Duce.  This location, priced at $90,000 is fully equipped and ready for a new owner.  Dave expects an offer any day so don't delay if you have interest in this one. Listing ID:6718 Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum     Pizza Franchises for Sale 3 Units Doing $1.7 Million in Sales Lease: Varies By Location Monthly Rent: $16850 Inside Sq. Ft. 8000 Outside Sq. Ft. n/a Price:$179,000 City:Memphis Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 Three pizza franchises for sale listed by Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum in Memphis Tennessee doing $1.7 Million in sales represent an incredibly strong opportunity and pushed this restaurant for sale franchise group to the top of the list.  Memphis is a good market and this store group is still waiting on the right purchaser.    Listing ID:7205 Restaurant Broker Robin Gagnon     Restaurant Space for Lease in High Income Alpharetta - Strip Center Lease: TBD Monthly Rent: $TBD, Inside Sq. Ft. 1400, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$0 City:Alpharetta Robin Gagnon (404) 800-6700 A restaurant space for lease in high income Alpharetta market was the third most popular listing for the month.  The 1400 square foot location resulted in plenty of clicks, views, calls to place it high on the list of most viewed restaurants for sale or lease this month.   Listing ID:7193 Restaurant Broker Eric Gagnon     Incredibly Quaint Cafe for Sale in High-end Village Center Lease: July 2022 Monthly Rent: $5600, Inside Sq. Ft. 1800, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$99,000 City:Atlanta Eric Gagnon (404) 800-6700 Atlanta continued to represent well on the list of concepts selected by our buyers this month with a cafe for sale in Atlanta for just $99,000 taking in a lot of views and activity on the month.  The 1800 square foot location with a rent of $5600 is ready for new owners.    Listing ID:6202 Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum     Restaurant and Bar For Sale in Johns Creek, Keep or Convert Lease: 2 years remaining on initial term, with three 5 year options Monthly Rent: $5600, Inside Sq. Ft. 4069, Outside Sq. Ft. 500 Price:$125,000 City:Johns Creek Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 Another Fulton County Georgia location in Johns Creek gathered plenty of views.  This restaurant and bar for sale that's ready to keep as is or convert is priced to move.  The 4069 square foot location offered by Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum is sure to be in contract soon with one of our restaurant buyers.    Listing ID:7208 Restaurant Broker Robin Gagnon     4,400 SF Restaurant Space for Lease in Mega Center - National Tenants Lease: TBD Monthly Rent: $TBD, Inside Sq. Ft. 4400, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$0 City:Johns Creek Robin Gagnon (404) 800-6700 Another lease location in the Johns Creek (Fulton County - Atlanta) market made the list.  That demonstrations high demand for second generation lease space where talented individuals want to bring their own concept to the location.  This 4400 square foot space inside a mega center scored plenty of views, clicks and calls.    Listing ID:6712 Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum     Mediterranean Restaurant for Sale in Alpharetta, GA Lease: 2 years remaining thru Feb 2021 Monthly Rent: $3000 Inside Sq. Ft. 1700 Outside Sq. Ft. 600+ Price:$49,750 City:Alpharetta Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 A Mediterranean restaurant for sale, also in North Fulton, garnered plenty of views.  This location is priced to sell at under $50,000 and it's no wonder it attracted the views.  The 1700 square foot restaurant for sale, offered by Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum,  is sure to be in a contract before long.    Listing ID:6728 Restaurant Broker Dave Duce     2nd Generation Pizza Business for Sale in Austin, TX - Priced to Sell! Lease: expires Aug 2025 Monthly Rent: $4600 Inside Sq. Ft. 1300 Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$99,000 City:Austin Dave Duce (512) 773-5272 The list started with Austin Texas and returned  to that location with the eighth most popular restaurant for sale on the list.  This second generation space is equipped for a pizza concept and more and has rent of just $4600 per month.  Listing ID:7171 Restaurant Broker Robin Gagnon     Cafe for Sale - Great Beltline Location Generates $700,000 on limited menu! Lease: September 2023 Monthly Rent: $9669.07, Inside Sq. Ft. 2126, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$99,995 City:Atlanta Robin Gagnon (404) 800-6700 A cafe for sale on the Altanta belt line made waves this month and brought in not only views, calls and more.  This cafe for sale ended up in a multiple offer situation and is set for closing at the end of the month.    Listing ID:7192 Restaurant Broker Eric Gagnon     Catering Business for Sale in Alpharetta -- Pennies to Acquire Kitchen! Lease: Dec 31 2019 - 1 - 5yr Opt to Renew Monthly Rent: $3600.00, Inside Sq. Ft. 1800, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$35,000 City: Alpharetta Eric Gagnon (404) 800-6700 Last but not least, is another location in high income Alparetta, a suburb of Atlanta. A catering business for sale in that market was one of the top 2% of all businesses in our inventory for the month.   It was a record breaking month of calls, views, signed confidentiality agreements and inquiries from our buyers.  Our listing inventory is just at $150 million and includes over 535 listings across the nation.  All of our restaurant for sale listings can be found online at this link.

Do brands matter when selling a restaurant?  We think so, along with the 80,000 buyers in our database.  Learn why brands matter when selling a restaurant.

The ten most valuable brands in the world, according to Forbes, in order, are:

1. Apple
2. Google
3. Microsoft
4. Amazon
5. Facebook
6. Coca-Cola
7. Samsung
8. Disney
9. Toyota
10. McDonald’s

Branding matters.  It becomes such a part of the public consciousness that no one asks for a soda, they ask for a Coke or a Coca Cola.  No one says, "Do you have a facial tissue?"  They say, “Can you hand me a Kleenex?”

According to Inc. Magazine contributor and the President of Uppercase Branding, Mike Pile, “a name is the most powerful and cost-effective communication tool there is.”  He goes on to say that, “No marketing message will be used as widely or as frequently as the brand name.  It is the single most profound form of business communication.”

That takes us to We Sell Restaurants, our brand name.  Our brand is descriptive.  Our brand is successful.  Our brand is part of a marketing engine that allows us to meet our vision to sell more restaurants than anyone else. PERIOD.

The United States Patent and Trademark office agree with us. They granted to We Sell Restaurants, the ONLY authorized use of the term “We Sell Restaurants” for business brokerage in the principal registration of our Service Mark #4,663,265.  Feel free to look it up.   

Does branding matter?  It certainly does.  Virtually every single month, we task our attorneys with sending “cease and desist” letters to other business brokers who want to “piggy-back” on our good name with social media hashtags under We Sell Restaurants, using our name on their home pages, copying our brand colors, our photos, and using it in descriptions of their services.   

Trust us.  We’re flattered.  But our customers are not fooled.  They know there is only one brand selling more restaurants than anyone else.  Here are just a few statistics.

• We Sell Restaurants is the most highly ranked name when searching restaurants for sale.  That means anyone looking to buy a restaurant sees this powerful name first, not that of a “one-man” shop or someone with limited listing counts.
• We Sell Restaurants has a listing inventory or just at $150 Million Dollars. That makes us the largest in the world in terms of listing inventory.
• We Sell Restaurants has over 530 restaurants for sale, dwarfing any other brand in the nation. Those listings are active and available for sale.  We do not “fluff” up our listing count by leaving sold listings in the mix. 
• We Sell More Restaurants than anyone else. PERIOD.  Our sold listings are published on our website (separately from our “available” listings) along with raving testimonials from our clients.   
• We Sell Restaurants services 42 states nationwide.  We are credentialed, licensed and national in reach, unlike other brands.
• We Sell Restaurants has more than 80,000 in buyers in our database and we send 6.4 Million emails per year on our inventory leading to more closed transactions.
• We Sell Restaurants educates our brokers with the longest training program in the industry.  We provide more hands on training, more specialized knowledge and the only testing in the nation to achieve the status of “Certified Restaurant Broker.”  That sets our brokers apart and is also a trademark of our company. 

It is no wonder We Sell more restaurants than anyone else.

Think about that the next time someone offers you their Restaurant Broker “knock off” brand.  Do you want facial tissue or the real deal?  Are you going to have that unbranded, “cheaper” quality or do you want the premium brand that delivers results?

Listen.  We’re flattered that there are plenty of people trying to imitate our success. Just make sure you know what you’re buying before choosing a fake or watered down attempt to sell restaurants. There’s a reason brand names have higher market equity.

We Sell Restaurants closes on another restaurant for sale transaction; the resale of the Which Wich franchise in New Braunfels, Texas

We Sell Restaurants is pleased to announce the sale of Which Wich located 2830 Town Center Dr #110 in New Braunfels, Texas.  The purchasers are The Dagwood 4B LLC, a group made up of Lance Becker and his wife, Sarah Becker of New Braunfels Texas, along with Gene and Sue Bedingfield, also from the area.  This is an experienced group that at one time owned and developed up to 40 units of the Liberty Tax Franchise brand and currently operate 4 Club Pilates franchises in the area. 

The store was acquired from SMART Restaurant Group, a multi-unit group led by TJ Schier of Dallas Texas.  Mr. Schier is a nationally recognized multi-unit owner who speaks frequently on the restaurant industry and is transitioning full time to a speaking and consulting career.

The buyer, Lance Becker said, “It was a pleasure working with Robin and her team at WSR.  They made the challenging task of coordinating the multiparty franchise acquisition virtually seamless.  The negotiations with the seller, introduction to the franchisor and timeline to closing were all well planned and executed along the way to keep the process running smoothly and on track.  We look forward to working with WSR in the future as opportunities arise."

The transaction was brokered by Robin Gagnon, Certified Restaurant Broker and co-founder of We Sell Restaurants.  She said of the transaction, “It was my greatest pleasure to work with Lance and his family on this deal.  It is always exciting to assist experienced franchise operators enter the restaurant industry.  Which Wich is a strong prospect for resales with many of our buyers.  Their in-depth training and support make it a winning opportunity for those entering the food and beverage industry for the first time.”

Which Wich, a franchise chain that started in downtown Dallas has branched out nationwide specializing in crafting each sandwich with care. Founder, Jeff Sinelli, ignited this brand to specialize the best possible versions of each sandwich. Their menu features many exclusive recipes for the ultimate customer experience. Which Wich are committed to making the world a better place by participating in program like the PB&J.   

Other franchise restaurants for sale can be found directly online at wesellrestaurants.com. We Sell Restaurants is the country's leading restaurant brokerage focused on those buying, selling or leasing a restaurant.

We Sell Restaurants is the nation’s largest restaurant brokerage firm, specializing in restaurants for sale, restaurants for lease and franchise restaurant resales.  Found online at wesellrestaurants.com, We Sell Restaurants works in 45 states nationwide.

What makes a listing hit the "Best Restaurants for Sale" list?  We base our report on signed confidentiality agreements, clicks, views, and calls to our Certified Restaurant Brokers.  With nearly 500 restaurants for sale, that means these are the top 2% of all listings in our database, the most extensive group of restaurants for sale nationwide.  Since our customers are doing the clicking and calling,  they are evaluating the options and pushing them into our best restaurants for sale list as the top ten among all activity.

Here is our latest report covering the month of September 2019.

The number one listing is a hybrid location that offers three business operations in one. This listing combines a restaurant, convenience store and truck stop into one home run location.  The earnings on this unit are an unmatched $735,000 and the price for the location includes the real estate.

Franchise Partner and Certified Restaurant Broker Justin Scotto recently listed this location which was not ever on the market for the full thirty days making its appearance on the list even more remarkable. Since this qualifies for SBA lending with real estate, the purchase price can be amortized over twenty years with just 15% down.  That has our restaurant buyers seriously interested.  

Listing ID:7124 Restaurant Broker Justin Scotto     Restaurant business for Sale plus C-Store and Truck Stop Earns $735,000! Lease: zero Monthly Rent: $zero, Inside Sq. Ft. Business-3500, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$3,750,000 Justin Scotto (704) 609-4460 There appears to be a trend beginning on this month's report since the second most popular listing was for ten Subway franchises for sale with another very strong earnings level at $240,000 a year.  There are plenty of buyers pushing for strong EBITDA on the books and this store group, churning out nearly a quarter million a year in pure earnings was an instant hit among those buying a restaurant.  President of We Sell Restaurants and Certified Restaurant Broker, Eric Gagnon is the one fielding the many calls, clicks and confidentiality agreements on this one.  Listing ID:7059 Restaurant Broker Eric Gagnon     Ten Subway Franchises for Sale - Multi Unit EBITDA of $240,000 a Year Lease: Varied Monthly Rent: $27673.95, Inside Sq. Ft. Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$899,000 City:Dallas Eric Gagnon (404) 800-6700 We are seeing  a theme come into play as the next on the list of best restaurants for sale is a very strong moneymaker with earnings on the books of $500,000.  This Naples Florida location offered by Franchise Partner and Certified Restaurant Broker Dave Whitcomb, has been off the charts with activity even though this listing is in contract already and set for closing.  There were multiple offers on this store, driving the actual price much above asking.   Listing ID:7004 Restaurant Broker Dave Whitcomb     Naples Restaurant for Sale Grossing $5.2 MM - Owner Income 7 Figures! Lease: expires June 30, 2021 Monthly Rent: $9941, Inside Sq. Ft. 3774, Outside Sq. Ft. seating for 25 on patio deck Price:$1,000,000 City:Naples Dave Whitcomb (239) 300-5041 From high earnings to high potential, the best restaurants for sale can be on either side of the spectrum.  Certified Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum was next on the list with a restaurant and bar for sale in Johns Creek that's not returning any profit to the owner and is ready for a new buyer to take over and change the concept.  The excellent location in a high income area makes this ideal for a pub, sports bar, or full service restaurant of any kind.  Listing ID:6202 Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum     Restaurant and Bar For Sale in Johns Creek, Keep or Convert Lease: 2 years remaining on initial term, with three 5 year options Monthly Rent: $5600, Inside Sq. Ft. 4069, Outside Sq. Ft. 500 Price:$125,000 City:Johns Creek Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 Franchise Partner and Certified Restaurant Broker Dave Duce in Austin Texas put forth a three store franchise for sale package that pushed into the top two percent of all listings with We Sell Restaurants this month.  This opportunity, priced in the seven-figure range found many interested buyers and kept the phones ringing all month!  Listing ID:7118 Restaurant Broker Dave Duce     3 Franchises for Sale - Be a Multi Unit National Brand Owner in Austin Lease: Expires 2025 Monthly Rent: $6241,5731,7650, Inside Sq. Ft. 1700,1750,1761, Outside Sq. Ft. 150 Price:$1,275,000 City:Austin Dave Duce (512) 773-5272 Six figure earnings offered on a quick service franchise for sale brought the Colorado office into the mix with a deal offered by Certified Restaurant Broker Chris Gordan.  The location, with a long term lease and option to extend, along with six figure earnings , is priced to move quickly.  That caught the clicks of buyers who wanted to know more!  Listing ID:6942 Restaurant Broker Chris Gordon     Quick Service Franchise for Sale in CO - Six Figure Earnings! Lease: ends 2025 + 5 year option Monthly Rent: $5200, Inside Sq. Ft. 1576, Outside Sq. Ft. 600 Price:$80,000 City:Westminster Chris Gordon (303) 594-4247 Certified Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum was back in the mix with some of the best restaurants for sale in the month of September.  Like many of the others that attracted a strong buyer count, this was a multi-unit opportunity in Indianapolis Indiana.  Pizza concepts are always strong and this two store group of franchises for sale easily pushed into a top position for inquiring restaurant buyers. Listing ID:7104 Restaurant Broker Steve Weinbaum     Profitable 2-Store National Pizza Franchises For Sale - Indianapolis, Indiana Lease: Differs for each location - contact agent Monthly Rent: $2400,2600, Inside Sq. Ft. 1600,1600, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$479,000 City:Indianapolis Steve Weinbaum (770) 714-4552 Just sneaking onto the top two percent of all listings, a restaurant space for lease in Decatur Georgia, tipped the scales at position number nine.  The attraction of Decatur and strong landlord brought plenty of interest for this location where we assist in preparing your business plan, menu and financial statement for the landlord.  Listing ID:7001 Restaurant Broker Robin Gagnon     Restaurant Space for Lease with Patio for Walkable Decatur Georgia Lease: TBD Monthly Rent: $TBD, Inside Sq. Ft. 3273, Outside Sq. Ft. 1664 Price:$0 City:Decatur Robin Gagnon (404) 800-6700 The last listing to make it to the Best Restaurants for sale based on our cutoff of ten listings was a business ripe for change in Lawrenceville Georgia, part of the Atlanta Metro area.  Certified Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox is the listing agent and assisted multiple buyers in their inquiries on this store. Listing ID:6804 Restaurant Broker Dominique Maddox     Stunning Restaurant for Sale - Keep or Convert to New Concept! Lease: Expires Feb. 2024 plus 5 year option Monthly Rent: $3152, Inside Sq. Ft. 2000, Outside Sq. Ft. Price:$59,995 City:Lawrenceville Dominique Maddox (404) 993-4448 That's it. You now have the complete list of the Best Restaurants for Sale in the month of October.  Buyers pushed high earning restaurants and multi-unit locations into some of the top positions with offers already in play from some of these. We'll continue to track the response on these best restaurants for sale and publish a new list next month.  For access to all our listings, visit wesellrestaurants.com at this link for the most restaurants for sale anywhere online.

The latest report from NetFinancials is out and they say that Atlanta restaurant sales volume increased 4.18% this year when measured against the same time frame in 2018. That's a fantastic result that We Sell Restaurants is excited to see.  In addition to overall strong sales, the report shows the results are strong across the board.  The positive sales growth was observed in 73% of the 102 independent Atlanta restaurants that are part of the quarterly survey conducted by the firm.  

They draw their data from 102 non-franchise restaurants in the market.  The total volume covered by this report was $160 million for year to date 2019.  It included Atlanta restaurants in all segments, fast-casual, casual and fine-dining open at least eighteen months.

How does that compare?  

One of the best resources for tracking national restaurant sales data is TDn2K’s Black Box Intelligence.  They reported that year to date sales on the national level are only .5% ahead of last year.  That means Atlanta restaurant sales are far outperforming the national trend by a difference of more than 4 percentage points which indicates the health of the industry in this market. 

The same firm reported that national restaurant traffic counts remain in a decline.  However, as We Sell Restaurants continues to interact with sellers, we see more and more market share shifting to delivery options like UberEats, DoorDash and similar models.  For that reason, store traffic count reductions must be viewed through the lens of a dramatically changing consumer model who is ordering in versus dining in.

The Black Box index is based on weekly sales from more than 170 brands that operate more than 31,000 locations and generate nearly $72 billion in annual sales.

The president of NetFinancials, Lori Johnson, was quoted in the report saying, "The first quarter of 2019 saw a tremendous increase in sales due to the Atlanta Superbowl festivities. The national spotlight was on Atlanta and visitors were given the opportunity to experience the food culture locals love. Not surprisingly Q1 2019 saw an increase in sales at most restaurants surveyed, a startling 78%!

Was all the increase attributed to the first quarter?  No.  The report goes on to state that second quarter sales were up 1.72% versus a national average of plus 1.0 percent. 

There continues to be growth in new restaurant openings in the Atlanta market along with ever increasing transactions for those buying and selling a restaurant from our database.  The economy overall was strong in the market with NetFinancials further reporting job growth among the industry in June.  They cite the addition of 9,000 new hospitality jobs in the market or more than 18% of the jobs added during the month.

The table from the NetFinancials report is shown below.  

Eric Gagnon, president of We Sell Restaurants said of the latest results, "There is no doubt the entire hospitality industry received a strong boost from the Superbowl.  We are glad to see that the trend for second quarter continues to outpace the national results. Our restaurant buyers and sellers continue to be bullish on results and are finding new opportunities each day."

Our list of Atlanta Restaurants for sale can be found online at this link along with resources for buying and selling a restaurant. 

Have you seen a restaurant for sale with the words "E2 Visa Qualified' and wondered what it means?  We'll take you through the ins and outs and frequently asked questions on investment visas for buying a restaurant or any other business. 

What is an E2 Visa?

This refers to a foreign Investor Visa.  This allows foreigners to live and work in the U.S. if they buy a qualifying U.S. business or create one and are a national of a qualifying treaty country.   With the current immigration  climate, it's a way to gain access to the U.S. as the State Department literally puts those with visas at the front of the line. 

How do I know if the U.S. has a treaty with my client’s country?

Check this link on the State Department website for a list of countries. Some countries such as Canada, Colombia, and Austria issue a five-year Visa.  Others issue them for a shorter period of time.  Countries like Ecuador, Jordan, Ukraine, and Thailand, issue only a 12-month visa however, these are renewable. 

How do I know if the business qualifies for an E-2?

• The price must be right.  The process requires that you make a "substantial investment"
• You must have employees. It cannot be a one person business.
• It must be an active not a passive business investment like real estate. 
• The funds must be invested from a legal source
• The funds are invested or will be actively invested shortly
• The restaurant buyer must be seeking to come to the U.S. to develop their business
• Ownership must be at least 50%
• The business can be unprofitable but it must have "potential" to make a profit in future as demonstrated by a business plan.

The Certified Restaurant Brokers at We Sell Restaurants screen the restaurants for sale that qualify for an E2 Visa.  They can help you with the ones that will meet the criteria when buying a restaurant.  One additional caveat, not all franchise brands will allow for visa candidates.  They will require proof of residency prior to buying a restaurant.

How long can you investors stay in the U.S. after buying a restaurant? 

The depends on the country's treaty agreement with the United States.  Typically they are 5-year visas, but when you initially enter the U.S. you get a 2-year status. There is no limit to the amount of extensions, but if a visa expires and you need to travel, you will usually need to renew it six months before the date that it expires.

When do the E-2 investors get social security numbers and driver’s licenses?

Those buying a restaurant with an E2 visa can apply for a social security number after they enter the U.S. Once they get a social security card, they may apply for a driver’s license. Spouse and children can get social security numbers but without a work permit, their cards may say not valid for work.

Why go for an E-2 Visa when buying a restaurant?

• The ability to travel freely in and out of the U.S.
• The ability to work legally in the U.S. with the E-2 company only
• The opportunity to remain in the U.S. for a prolonged basis in E-2 visa status if you qualify
• Dependents can accompany you while working in U.S. and spouses and children under 21 an apply for a work permit
• Dependents can attend school in U.S. However, once they are 21, they will need an F-1 visa
  
  What are the Disadvantages of an E-2 Visa when Buying a Restaurant?

• Limited to specific treaty countries
• Must work for E-2 business
• Approved in two years status increments and some countries have 1 year E-2 treaty visas
• E-2 beneficiary must always have intent to be in the U.S. temporarily during E stay

Overall, buying a restaurant and acquiring legal residency in the United States through a visa is a great opportunity for those seeking to relocate to our great nation.  If you need more assistance on this topic, contact one of our Certified Restaurant Brokers, or see the listings that qualify when buying a restaurant at this link. 

The most common mistakes we see with those buying a restaurant is failure to understand the due diligence process. Due diligence is undertaken to confirm the items learned during the initial discovery phase of the business.  For those buying a restaurant, the issues fit under three major headings:

• Too Soon
• Too Much
• Wrong Focus

Let’s look at these one at a time.

Too Soon -

When buying a restaurant, some take the approach that they want to see everything, and they want to see it before any form of an offer is made.  As Restaurant Brokers, we’ll receive a laundry list of items before a deal even goes into contract. Taking this approach, however, can hinder your ability to purchase.  Here’s why.

Sellers are cautious by nature.  They want to avoid revealing too much about their business until the buyer feels more “certain” to them. They trust the broker but aren’t sure, (YET) whether they have faith in the buyer to keep this information confidential.  Even though a confidentiality agreement may be in place, they are thinking of the people who work in the store, their customers and their current livelihood.  All of these are put at risk if someone doesn’t honor the terms of the confidentiality agreement. 

It’s too soon if you start pushing for items like tax returns and 941 filings before a deal is even accepted.   There hasn’t been enough time in the transaction to develop the trust needed between the parties.  It will happen; just not at the outset. 

To avoid the problem of “too soon,” it’s better to go into an agreement to purchase, with a due diligence period and a fully refundable escrow if you are not satisfied.  If the books don’t bear out in the due diligence period, you have the option to terminate or renegotiate the pricing or terms.

Asking for sensitive data like tax returns and 941 filings before a deal is even accepted is often a path to seller resistance, buyer stubbornness and ultimately, failure in buying a restaurant.

Too Much

There is a checklist for buying a business floating around on the Internet that is ten pages long and has about 100 items on it.  I know this because I’ve been presented with the exact same checklist dozens of times. 

This list asks for items that have very little to do with buying a restaurant.  I’ve received it on franchise transactions multiple times.  This list asks for terms of the intellectual property owned and all trademarks and patents.  HINT:  The franchise brand owns the intellectual property and the rights to all trademarks and patents.  It also asks for the minutes from every shareholder meeting.  HINT:  The average small business being transferred has one meeting on the books – the one that established the legal entity.  There’s nothing else.  It also asks for contracts with every vendor.  AGAIN – the average main street business doesn’t have vendor contracts.  If they are a franchise, they typically have one, their franchise agreement. 

If I receive this checklist after I’m in contract, it tells me that as a business broker, I need to do a better job to setting expectations and providing good stewardship over the deal.  I need to make sure my buyers seek my guidance about what they should be looking at in buying a restaurant.  If I receive this checklist before a deal is even made, I know I have a buyer who doesn’t really understand what he is buying and probably needs some more education about the industry and small businesses in general. 

If your interpretation of due diligence is to Google - - “Buying a business Due Diligence Checklist” and present your broker with a ten page document that isn’t relevant, it’s TOO MUCH, the second mistake made by most buyers.

Wrong Focus

Along with too soon and too much, the third mistake is “wrong focus.” Some of the items cited above are examples of items that are not relevant to the transaction.  Another area where buyers spend too much time and money are in areas they can’t change.  One example is the franchise agreement review.  It is rare to never that a franchisor will change the terms of their franchise agreement.  It simply doesn’t happen.  All 1,000 units operate on a similar plane and they simply will not exempt any one party from certain element. 

When a buyer spends time hiring an attorney to review the franchise agreement, knowing that it cannot be changed, it’s the wrong focus.  The restaurant buyer should be looking at whether a franchise model is the right fit for him or her.  If he wants to change the menu; a franchise is not a good fit.  If he or she wants to reduce the royalties to earn more money, it won’t happen.  Don’t waste precious dollars focusing on the items you cannot change.  Instead, focus on the items in due diligence open to negotiation or change.

These three mistakes in due diligence can cost you the restaurant you want to buy.  Avoid pursuing due diligence too soon.  Be careful of requesting too much and lastly, watch your focus.

Restaurant Franchises are growing across the nation and the globe.  Some are open, some are signed, and some are target markets!  We've gathered the latest announcements about what's opening and what's in the future based on the latest signed restaurant franchise agreements and deals announced across the industry. 

Chicken, Chicken, Chicken -- It's not just Popeye's that has Chicken on the brain after last week.  There's a lot frying up in the Chicken franchise space. 

The first Zaxby’s in Chantilly, Virginia is coming this month to 43820 Eastgate Shoppes Drive. A fan favorite for chicken fingers, wings and salads, the new fast-casual restaurant is the first location this licensee team will open with plans for an additional five Zaxby’s in the future. Construction on the Chantilly Zaxby’s began in March led by local engineering firm Tri-Tek Engineering.

The brand is also expanding to Spring Lake, North Carolina in September as well to 130 S. Third St. A. The new fast-casual restaurant is the third location owned and operated by Alan Ward and Fry Guys Management Group 3, LLC. Zaxby’s has 119 restaurants in North Carolina and more than 900 locations across 17 states. Construction on this location began in April.

Slim Chickens, a leader in the “better chicken” segment of fast casual restaurants, will continue expansion of its fresh chicken and unrivaled flavor in Illinois, with its grand reopening in Plainfield on September 5, 2019.  They also inked a six-unit deal with Preferred Development, LLC, with the first location expected to open in Minot, North Dakota. 

Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders signed a six-unit deal with new franchisee Buck Harris, who will open restaurants in Lowndes, Dougherty, Lee and Taft counties in South Georgia. Harris is a former a Chick-fil-A franchisee and now also owns locations of Chicken Salad Chick.  

That wraps it up for the latest chicken deals.  Meanwhile, pizza is still hot.

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, LLC, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain, known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis and Mountain-sized pizzas, is focusing its expansion efforts in northern California’s Humboldt County with a Eureka, California location already in development.

Data uncovered during an in-depth market analysis paired with the brand’s longstanding success throughout northern California makes Humboldt County a natural fit for a concept like Mountain Mike’s, which caters to families, large groups and celebratory occasions. There are currently 211 Mountain Mike’s Pizza locations in operation throughout California, Oregon, Nevada and Utah.

Following a successful restaurant opening in Newington earlier this year, famed New York-style pizza institution, Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, has announced that its second Connecticut restaurant will open in Downtown Hartford this winter. The upcoming outpost will replace the former McKinnon’s Pub at 114 Asylum Street near the XL Center, in the heart of the city and at the epicenter of the revival and renaissance taking place in Hartford.

On the sweet side there’s plenty of new restaurant franchises in the mix as well.  

Doughnuttery, which launched its franchise program in February, signed its first area development deal, a six-unit agreement with Brian Burwell, managing member of Arizona Doughnuttery LLC, for shops in Arizona. A second area development deal, this one for three locations in Virginia, was signed with Doughnuttery of Nova, Inc., led by Leyla Khater, president, and Katherine Ronckovitz, partner. Doughnuttery has four open locations, three in New York City and one in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Baskin-Robbins inked a multi-unit agreement to develop 10 new locations across Upstate New York, including in Syracuse and the Southern Tier, in addition to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania. With a portfolio of 40 Dunkin' restaurants and one multi-brand location, the deal was signed with franchisees Manish Patel, Sarika Patel, Krunal Patel and Tarak Patel of Bapa Chambers Rd Ice Cream, LLC.

Fast casual sandwiches, burgers and hot dogs remain in the mix with lots of opening planned coast to coast.   

Burgers, Fries & Shakes, a fast casual, “better burger” chain, is ready to satisfy the taste buds of burger enthusiasts in Orlando. The restaurant franchise is set to have two openings in late 2019 and early 2020 at 8050 International Drive and 3155 South Orange Avenue in Orlando. The Orlando openings mark the second and third MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes restaurants in the market, joining the existing Oviedo Mall location that opened last fall. The franchise brand is planning to bring an additional six locations to the greater Orlando area, creating a total of more than 200 jobs across the area.

Capriotti's Sandwich Shop inked several multi-unit deals for development in six states. In New York City, husband and wife Ashok and Maleka Isranie signed for three locations; in Phoenix, Arizona, Steve Holdeman of franchisee group Pastrami Boys will open eight units. MAAAFOOD, Inc. and franchisees Daniel Hoffman and Michael Vanderwoude signed a deal for three locations in Hammond, Indiana, while in El Paso, Texas, Tessie Rodriguez plans to open three Capriotti's. Business partners Anthony Reviglio and Ken Cassas signed on for two restaurants in Boise, Idaho, and in Florida, the following franchisees signed for three units each: Todd King (Jacksonville); Mark and Michele Maroulis (Sarasota); Scott Crawford and Stephan Poletta (Tampa).

Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ has an estimated opening date of late October in Houston Texas.  The brand is famous for its delicious Grilled Hot Dogs, brats and sausages along with its amazing BBQ sandwiches. Crave was founded in 2018 by Samantha and Salvatore Rincione. Since then, the company has signed multiple locations in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas and more.

Dog Haus, the craft casual concept known for its gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-of-a-kind creations, opened its second Chicago location inside Kitchen United’s brand new Eats on Sedgwick, located at 831 N. Sedgwick St,. on Sept. 3.

Across the Globe 

QDOBA Mexican Eats®, a leading Mexican fast-casual chain, today announced its continued expansion across Canada through an agreement with multi-unit operator, Burgess Enterprise. The five-unit deal focuses on locations to be developed in and around Northern Ontario, with the group’s first QDOBA restaurant set to open in Sault Ste. Marie in early 2020.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen signed a new agreement to develop and open more than 1,500 Popeyes restaurants in China over the next 10 years. Franchisee group TFI TAB Food Investments, led by CEO Korhan Kurdo lu, already operates Popeyes and Burger King restaurants in Turkey and Burger King in China. The commencement of Popeyes' operations in China is subject to a regulatory filing in China.

That’s the list of the latest restaurant franchise openings.  Keep an eye on the We Sell Restaurants website for franchise restaurant resales or click this link to see our latest franchise for sale listings.

We Sell Restaurants closes on another restaurant for sale transaction; the sale of Nona’s Sweets in Charlotte, North Carolina

We Sell Restaurants is pleased to announce the sale of Nona’s Sweets located 1520 Overland Park Lane in Charlotte.  Mikel Leka of Greensboro, North Carolina acquired the company from Dominica and JoAnn Morlando. The transaction was handled by Justin Scotto of We Sell Restaurants.

 Nona’s sweets is a unique family-based concept that was launched by Jo-Ann and her daughter Dominica Morlando. They specialize in delivering an exceptional experience with their “tradition of creating old world taste with new world flair.” The new owner Mikel Leka will take this concept to the next level!

The seller, Dominic and JoAnn Morlando, said of his experience with Justin Scotto, “Thank you for all you did to make our business sale go smoothly. With the sale of a business, a small family business, there are many dynamics and emotions. You explained to us the steps and phases to sell the business and implemented the tools to see results.”

Justin Scotto is the multi-unit Franchise Partner for the Charlotte, NC Region and surrounding communities. A Certified Restaurant Broker, Justin has been in the restaurant industry for 20 years. Justin is a longtime veteran of the restaurant industry. He started out as a busboy as an early teenager and worked countless restaurant jobs from sports bars to sub shops. In recent years, Justin developed and operated 12 fast casual restaurants with Firehouse Subs from the ground up. In the process of selling his own restaurants, Justin came across the We Sell Restaurant brand. Impressed with their firm, he was ready to join forces with them to help restaurant buyers and sellers alike achieve their goals.

Eric Gagnon, President of We Sell Restaurants, said of the transaction, “Justin Scotto has proven time and again, that he is an unmatched resource in the Charlotte market for those buying or selling a restaurant.”

Other restaurants for sale can be found directly online at wesellrestaurants.com. We Sell Restaurants is the country's leading restaurant brokerage focused on those buying, selling or leasing a restaurant.

We Sell Restaurants is the nation’s largest restaurant brokerage firm, specializing in restaurants for sale, restaurants for lease and franchise restaurant resales.  Found online at wesellrestaurants.com, We Sell Restaurants offers services in 45 states nationwide.