Sell your business with
Hospitality business brokers
Cafes, restaurants, bars and takeaways sell on their numbers, their lease and their reputation. Our hospitality brokers know how buyers weigh wages, food and beverage margins, occupancy costs and liquor licences, so you exit on your terms for maximum sale price.
The specialist choice for selling your hospitality business
Selling a cafe, restaurant or bar is a specialist transaction, and getting it wrong costs you money and momentum. Here’s why hospitality owners choose Benchmark as their hospitality business broker.
An established buyer network
We maintain an active, pre-qualified network of buyers looking specifically for hospitality businesses, from first-time owner-operators to experienced hospitality groups, so your venue reaches genuine, ready-to-move buyers from day one rather than just being listed and hoped for.
Brokers who have run venues
Our hospitality brokers haven't just sold cafes and restaurants, they've owned and operated them. That first-hand knowledge of rosters, food costs, leases and licensing means sharper appraisals, smarter positioning and negotiations that protect your outcome.
A proven hospitality track record
We've helped cafe, restaurant, takeaway and franchise owners sell with confidence, from owner-operated venues to fully managed sites, with the outcomes and testimonials to back it up.
National reach, local knowledge
Eight offices across Australia mean we understand local dining markets while still drawing on a national pool of buyers, so your venue gets maximum exposure to the right audience.
Confidential process management
Your sale is managed discreetly from first enquiry to settlement. Your staff, suppliers, landlord and regulars hear about it only when you choose to tell them, never before.
Valuations built to maximise your price
We benchmark your venue against real comparable hospitality sales, not rules of thumb, so you go to market with a credible, defensible price that reflects what your business is actually worth.
End-to-end hospitality business sale management
We offer an extensive end-to-end service for hospitality owners looking to sell. We handle the complexity, from lease assignment and liquor licensing to franchisor approvals and buyer vetting, so you can keep running your venue until the deal is done. Follow the seven stages below.
Preparation for sale
Detailed analysis of all financials and operational metrics. Before a single buyer hears your venue is for sale, we build the evidence base a sale price has to stand on, and flag anything worth fixing while there is still time to fix it.
- Normalised earnings and add-back analysis across three years
- Wages, cost of goods and occupancy cost reviewed against turnover
- Lease terms, fit-out, equipment and trading hours confirmed
- Liquor licence, council approvals and any franchise terms checked early
Documentation
Preparation of a detailed Appraisal and an extensive business Information Memorandum (IM). Buyers of cafes, restaurants and bars ask the same hard questions every time. We answer them in writing, up front, so your venue reads as a well-run business rather than a set of unknowns.
- Comprehensive business Information Memorandum for qualified buyers
- Sales, margin, wage and rent summaries presented buyer-ready
- Anonymised marketing material that never identifies your venue
Appraisal
Formal appraisals and market assessments. We benchmark your venue against real comparable hospitality sales rather than a rule-of-thumb multiple, so you go to market with a defensible price and know exactly where you can and cannot move.
- Market appraisal benchmarked to recent comparable hospitality sales
- Sensitivity on the levers that move your multiple: turnover, wages, margins and rent
- A clear price strategy and walk-away position before you list
Buyer sourcing
Confidential marketing to attract local, national and international buyers, utilising data mining strategies. Your business is put in front of buyers already looking for the type of business that you've built, without ever being named publicly.
- Data mining strategies targeting active hospitality buyers
- Direct approaches to owner-operators, hospitality groups, franchisees and investors
- Local, national and international buyer reach
- Blind listings that protect staff, supplier and customer relationships
Vetting
Rigorous screening of buyers for financial strength and commercial fit. Your time is the scarcest thing in a sale, so only qualified, capable parties who are the right fit for your venue and team will reach you.
- Proof of funds and finance capability assessed before disclosure
- Hospitality experience and any franchisor or licensing requirements confirmed
- Commercial fit with your venue, team and trading model
- Time-wasters and competitors filtered out before they see figures
Confidentiality
Strict confidentiality agreements and qualified information distribution help protect your business. Financial, client and operational information is released progressively to selected buyers, with confidentiality maintained throughout the sale process.
- Confidentiality agreements signed before sensitive business information is released
- Buyer enquiries vetted to help ensure only qualified parties progress
- Information memorandums and supporting documents distributed selectively to protect commercially sensitive information
- You retain control over when and how staff, landlords and customers are informed
Negotiation & settlement
Expert negotiation to achieve a successful sale, coordinating closely with legal and accounting professionals throughout the contract and settlement process. We manage the details, navigate challenges and maintain momentum through to settlement, ensuring your interests remain at the forefront until the sale is complete.
- Offers tested against the market and negotiated on your behalf
- Due diligence coordinated to protect momentum and confidentiality
- Liaison with solicitors and accountants on contracts, lease assignment and liquor licence transfer
- Stocktake, settlement and a structured handover and training period
Get your business sale ready
Selling a hospitality business isn’t like selling a retail shop. To ensure a smooth transaction and maximise your price, lay the groundwork early and understand the specific valuation levers that make your venue most attractive to buyers.
Get an independent appraisal
Know your true market value before you talk price. We benchmark turnover, wages, margins and rent against comparable sales, not guesswork. Our guide on how to value a hospitality business explains the method.
Tidy up your financials
Three years of clean P&Ls, BAS, POS sales reports and a normalised earnings figure. Add-backs on owner wages and one-offs can lift your sale price materially.
Review your franchise & supplier agreements
Franchise agreements, supplier contracts and equipment leases all shape buyer appetite. We map what transfers, what needs franchisor approval and what needs re-negotiating.
Secure your lease position
Lease length and rent are top buyer questions. A long, assignable lease with sensible occupancy costs widens your buyer pool and supports a higher multiple.
Get licences & approvals in order
Plan your exit & timing
Turnover & trend
Consistent weekly sales and a steady or rising trend are the first thing buyers model. Trend matters as much as the number.
Wages & margins
Wage costs and food and beverage margins kept under control show a venue that converts turnover into profit.
Lease & occupancy cost
A long, assignable lease with rent at a sensible share of turnover gives buyers certainty and gives you negotiating power.
Location & foot traffic
Visibility, parking, catchment growth and nearby competition all shape demand. A great position sells itself.
Licences & approvals
A transferable liquor licence, outdoor dining approvals and extended trading hours can add real value and widen your buyer pool.
Fit-out & equipment
A well-maintained fit-out and kitchen equipment in good working order remove risk and protect your value.
Under management
A venue that runs without the owner on the tools appeals to investors and multi-venue buyers, widening your market.
Clean financials
Transparent, well-documented earnings shorten due diligence and build the buyer confidence that gets deals done.
Specialist hospitality brokers
Dedicated brokers who sell cafes, restaurants, bars and takeaways day in, day out, with the buyer networks to match.
- Brisbane · Gold Coast
Broker since 2012 who built and sold a leading catering equipment importer across Australia and NZ, bringing commercial kitchen know-how to hospitality sales.
- Melbourne
Has owned numerous Melbourne cafes and still runs a busy inner-city cafe, with hands-on experience in hospitality start-ups, food distribution and meat wholesaling.
- Adelaide
Qualified valuer and certified broker with 35+ years of experience, specialising in hospitality and franchise sales across SA and expert in goodwill valuation.
- Gold Coast · Sunshine Coast · Sydney
Senior advisor with 25+ years of business sales experience, including Gold Coast restaurant and bar venues, guiding sellers from first approach to settlement.
- Melbourne
Former multi-site operations leader across VIC and TAS with full P&L accountability, applying that operational lens to hospitality and food retail sales.
- Perth
Finance graduate who starts every hospitality sale with a transparent, realistic appraisal, then guides WA venue owners through preparing their business for market.
- Melbourne
Broker since 2001 focused on food and hospitality businesses turning over $1m to $25m, a former business owner and fluent in English and Mandarin.
- Gold Coast
20+ years working with some of the largest beer, wine, liquor, coffee and food brands, giving him an insider view of how hospitality venues trade.
- Brisbane · Sunshine Coast
35+ years in food retail, including Metcash management roles and owning IGA stores, bringing that food and grocery insight to hospitality and convenience sales.
- Brisbane · Sunshine Coast · Sydney
35+ years in food and beverage manufacturing and distribution, with a network of pre-vetted buyers and industry players across the hospitality supply chain.
- Brisbane · Gold Coast
MBA graduate who started, grew and sold his own business, now selling hospitality and food businesses by looking beyond their written value.
- Perth
WA hospitality specialist who has owned and run two fast food restaurants, with extensive connections across the sector and a clear view of what achieves the best price.
- Brisbane · Gold Coast
Hospitality specialist with 30+ years in venues, from hatted Sydney restaurants to owning a Circular Quay bistro and a 120-seat Brisbane CBD restaurant.
- Brisbane · Gold Coast
Senior broker since 2011 with a banking and finance background, selling national food franchises and hospitality businesses and well versed in what lenders look for.
Owners who sold with Benchmark
Real outcomes from hospitality owners across Australia.
“To anyone thinking of selling or buying in the hospitality industry, Sam Pask is your Broker. Sam will go out of his way to match the appropriate Buyer with the Seller to achieve a successful outcome for both parties.”
“Tu was very informative from the onset and had a lot of knowledge and experience in selling businesses and he guided us through the whole sale process through to settlement without any issues.”
“We engaged the Business Broker Tu Nguyen from Benchmark Business Sales to sell our Pizza Hut store and he got us to the finish line… The level of communication and dedication in getting the sale across the line was first class.”
Selling a hospitality business FAQs
What types of hospitality businesses does Benchmark sell?
We cover the full breadth of the hospitality market: cafes and coffee shops, restaurants, bars, pubs and taverns, takeaways, bakeries, food court outlets and function venues. We handle owner-operated venues, fully managed sites and franchise outlets, as well as businesses sold with freehold. Whatever the structure of your venue, we have brokers who sell that type week in, week out.
How much is my hospitality business worth?
Value is driven by normalised earnings, turnover trend, wage and food and beverage costs, your lease terms and occupancy cost, location and licensing. We provide a confidential, no-obligation appraisal that benchmarks your venue against recent comparable sales rather than a rule-of-thumb multiple. For more detail, read our guides on how to value a hospitality business and how to value a cafe or coffee shop.
How long does it take to sell?
What happens to my lease and liquor licence?
Can I sell a franchised cafe or restaurant?
Should I sell walk-in walk-out or plus stock?
Will my staff, suppliers or customers find out?
What are your fees?
Do I need to keep trading during the sale?
Ready to talk about selling?
Tell us about your venue and a hospitality specialist will be in touch confidentially, with no obligation.
1300 366 521
Speak to a specialist broker directly
Completely confidential
Your details are never shared without your consent
Australia-wide
8 offices across Australia, national buyer reach