Restaurant Broker in Chicago, Illinois

Illinois restaurants typically sell for 2.5x–3.5x Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE). A restaurant generating $150,000 annually in SDE would likely be valued between $375,000 and $525,000, though lease terms, equipment age, and location heavily influence the final price.

Most restaurant sales in Illinois close within 6–12 months of listing. Restaurants priced correctly from day one with clean financials tend to close toward the faster end of that range.

Not always, but it helps. SBA lenders look at relevant experience, including management backgrounds in hospitality. First-time buyers with strong business acumen can still qualify, especially if the restaurant has strong, documented cash flow.

You'll need three years of tax returns, a current P&L, a copy of your lease, and an equipment list. The cleaner and more complete these documents, the faster your deal will move.

Yes. This is standard practice in business brokerage. All buyers sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) before receiving any identifying information about your business. Your identity and the business name remain confidential until a serious buyer is identified.