Restaurant Deal Making EXPOSED! With Patrick and Andy

What do restaurant owners need to know about insurance in today’s market? From rising premiums and stricter coverage requirements to wildfire risk and liquor liability, securing the right policy has become more complicated than ever. In this episode, we break down the key insurance issues restaurant owners, buyers, and operators should understand before problems arise. We’re joined by Greg Gurovic...

What has changed most in the restaurant industry over the last 25 years? While the fundamentals of hospitality, great food, and hard work remain the same, the way restaurants operate has evolved dramatically. In this episode, we look back at how technology, consumer behavior, labor, and operating costs have reshaped the business and what those changes mean for restaurant owners today. In this epis...

What does “turnkey” really mean when it comes to restaurant listings? While the term is often used to suggest a buyer can walk in and start operating with minimal effort, the reality is often much more complicated. In this episode, we discuss why buyers should look beyond the label and understand what costs and requirements may still be waiting beneath the surface. In this episode, we break down s...

What shapes the public perception of the restaurant industry today? Traditional journalism, social media influencers, and online narratives all compete for attention, but they often approach restaurant stories from very different angles. In this episode, we explore how those perspectives influence the way restaurant openings, closures, and industry trends are understood by the public. In this epis...

What goes into curating the food experience for one of the country’s largest music festivals? With nearly 100 restaurants serving more than 225,000 attendees over a single weekend, the Outside Lands food lineup is about far more than great food. It’s a carefully built reflection of Bay Area dining trends, operational strategy, and brand exposure. In this episode, we welcome back Tanya Kollar, Food...

What stands out after 50 episodes about restaurant deals? From navigating leases and due diligence to understanding timing, financials, and risk, certain themes come up again and again. We celebrate our 50th episode by each sharing our top three favorite and most impactful conversations from the show. We revisit topics like when to walk away from a deal, the right time to sell, financial disciplin...

What happens when someone with years of restaurant experience buys their first business? You might expect the process to be smoother, but even seasoned operators face challenges when stepping into ownership for the first time. In this episode, we continue our conversation on what virgin buyers want to know, but with a different perspective. We’re joined by Joshua Rabbie, owner of Benny’s Tacos in...

Buying a restaurant can be exciting, but for “virgin buyers,” the process can also feel overwhelming. From writing your first offer to figuring out whether a listing is actually worth pursuing, there are many questions that come up long before a deal ever reaches the finish line. In this episode, we sit down with Drew Butler, owner of Market Pizza by Drew Butler in Culver City, to talk through the...

When should you walk away from a restaurant deal? Not every transaction is meant to close, and knowing the difference between a solvable challenge and a true red flag can save you time, money, and stress. In this episode, we talk about the real reasons restaurant deals fall apart and how to recognize when pushing forward no longer makes sense. From delays and shifting motivation to emotional dynam...

What should restaurant buyers and sellers be preparing for in 2026? As the year unfolds, we are seeing clear themes emerge that are shaping how deals are getting done and who is stepping into the market. Some of these shifts have been building for years, while others are newer developments that are changing expectations on both sides of the table. In this episode, we share the three areas we belie...

How should restaurant owners and operators think about 2026 from a financial perspective? In this episode, we step back and talk through what it really takes to stay profitable in the current restaurant landscape, from planning ahead and adapting to cost pressure to building the right financial mindset for the year ahead. We’re joined by Matt Granville, a longtime restaurant executive with deep ex...

What’s the right time to sell a restaurant or bar? It’s a question every owner eventually faces, and one that rarely has a simple answer. In this episode, we talk through how timing affects value, options, and outcomes, and why selling at the right moment often has less to do with urgency and more to do with preparation. We explore the idea of selling when a business still has momentum, clarity, a...

How do smart restaurant owners start the year by strengthening their business? In this episode, we talk about why January is a natural moment to step back and evaluate how a restaurant is really operating. We explore how reviewing financials, questioning assumptions, and looking closely at costs can help owners build a healthier business, whether or not a sale is coming soon. We discuss the financ...

What kind of year was 2025 for restaurant deals? In this episode, we look back on the past year and talk through what stood out most to us as brokers working closely with restaurant owners, buyers, and sellers. We reflect on how the year unfolded, what surprised us, and what stayed consistent even as conditions shifted. To close things out, we spend some time looking ahead and sharing a few person...

Securing an SBA loan for a restaurant isn't easy. Banks understand the risks involved, especially given the high failure rate of restaurants. In this episode, we sit down with Scott Cisneros, a senior loan officer at City National Bank, who specializes in SBA 7a loans for restaurant acquisitions. With decades of lending experience and a reputation for straightforward advice, Scott is a trusted res...

What happens from the moment you find a restaurant listing to the day escrow closes? Buying or selling a restaurant is an exciting journey, but the process can be overwhelming if you're unfamiliar with each step. In this episode, we break down the entire transaction process. Understanding what happens along the way can be the difference between a smooth deal and a transaction that falls apart. &nb...

What are the biggest financial mistakes new restaurant owners make? We’ve seen them all, and we’ve made many of them ourselves. When you’re opening a restaurant, it’s easy to focus on the excitement and overlook the numbers. But running out of working capital, mispricing your menu, or overpaying for your lease can turn a dream into a financial strain faster than you think.   In this episode,...

What’s the real cost of working with a general attorney or accountant who doesn’t specialize in restaurants? We’ve seen firsthand how relying on the wrong professionals can create major problems, from messy books to painful lease negotiations, and how quickly these issues can spiral into expensive fixes. Running a restaurant is complex enough without learning the hard way that your CPA or lawyer d...

How can quick service restaurants stay relevant in a market that changes overnight? Matthew Blair knows what happens when a concept stops evolving. After selling his original World Wrapps and buying it back eight years later, he saw firsthand how a brand that pioneered global fusion wraps could lose its edge when consumer expectations shifted.   In this episode, we sit down with Matthew, co-o...

How is social media reshaping the restaurant industry, and what can owners do to protect their business? We’ve seen firsthand how TikTok videos, Instagram posts, and Yelp reviews can drive massive traffic or create unexpected backlash overnight. Unlike traditional critics with context and standards, today’s influencers are building their own brands while reviewing your business, sometimes amplifyi...

What happens when a restaurant deal is nearly complete and a sudden change threatens to derail it? Material adverse changes (MAC) can turn a smooth transaction into a complicated situation, and they often appear when you least expect them. From equipment failures to unexpected employee raises, the time between signing a contract and closing escrow is full of risks that can dramatically alter a bus...

How do festival food lineups come together, and what does it take to make them successful? In this episode, we’re talking with Food Curator Tanya Kollar, who manages food programs for major events such as Outside Lands and Lightning in a Bottle. Tanya shares how she works with chefs and restaurants to create menus that appeal to diverse audiences, balance operational realities, and meet the unique...

Getting a liquor license can make or break a restaurant deal. The regulatory side of alcohol businesses is often the most challenging part for entrepreneurs, filled with complex bureaucracy, paperwork, and rules that most operators dread. Yet without proper navigation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) system, even the most promising restaurant transaction can stall for months or fall apart e...

What are the biggest challenges that can derail a restaurant deal? Restaurant transactions are complex, with multiple parties involved: buyers, sellers, landlords, lenders, and health departments. Any one of these parties hitting a snag can cause months of hard work to unravel in a matter of days. Having been both restaurant owners and now brokers, we understand the emotional and financial stakes...

What happens behind the scenes of a successful restaurant acquisition? In this episode, we explore the sale of Steins Beer Garden in Mountain View, where seasoned operator Ricky Singh shares how he navigated a competitive bidding process to acquire a well-established restaurant in the heart of Silicon Valley. Ricky talks about his approach to buying existing restaurants with proven revenue, the va...