Practical template
Restaurant Due Diligence Checklist Template
This restaurant checklist template helps buyers test whether a restaurant business is worth buying before relying on seller profit claims.
Use it as a printable due diligence checklist with Yes / No verification and a 0-100 risk score. Missing POS records, unstable food cost, staff turnover, equipment repair exposure, lease uncertainty, and weak reviews should increase the score.
Printable checklist format
- Financial records: POS exports, bank deposits, tax filings, delivery payouts, catering invoices, and cash logs.
- Operations evidence: food cost, labor schedule, waste, prep process, peak-hour bottlenecks, and manager coverage.
- Lease and compliance: assignment, renewal options, health permits, alcohol license if applicable, fire approval, and insurance.
- Equipment review: hood, fire suppression, refrigeration, ovens, fryers, HVAC, plumbing, and repair history.
Yes / No decision structure
- Mark Yes only when the seller's claim is supported by source records or direct observation.
- Mark No when records are missing, food cost is estimated, staff transfer is uncertain, or lease rights are unresolved.
- Record the estimated cash-flow impact for every No item before negotiating price.
Risk scoring system
- 0-40: Lower risk. Cash flow, lease, staff, equipment, permits, and supplier terms are mostly verified.
- 41-70: Medium risk. Renegotiate price, require repair credits, or delay closing until evidence improves.
- 71-100: High risk. Do not buy unless liabilities, lease, staff, and cash-flow assumptions are restructured.