Define your concept’s requirements
The right site depends on your restaurant model. Start with seating, kitchen needs, dayparts, delivery access, parking, visibility, and the demand your concept is designed to serve.
- Identify non-negotiable operational constraints.
- Verify permitted use and approvals with appropriate advisers.
- Use observed and verified information rather than assumptions alone.
Model the economics
Build an estimate of occupancy costs, investment, fixed operating costs, variable costs, and working capital. Test how much sales volume is required to break even.
- Include additional occupancy charges beyond base rent.
- Check sales capacity against seats and service throughput.
- Model a downside case with lower sales and higher costs.
Keep due diligence explicit
A scorecard is a way to organize a decision, not a substitute for a site visit or professional review. Record unanswered questions and their owners.
- Have counsel review lease terms.
- Have contractors verify scope and build-out assumptions.
- Check your management and training capacity before expanding.
Give the next step an owner and a review date.
Use this guide to structure a team conversation. Document the assumptions, choose a focused action, and revisit the result.
Explore restaurant calculatorsEducational operating guidance. Adapt the process to your restaurant and review professional matters with the relevant qualified advisers.