Restaurant Equipment Loans Guide 2023 - Nav

Equipment loans for restaurants: How it works

Tiffany Verbeck's profile

Tiffany Verbeck

Digital Marketing Copywriter, Nav

February 15, 2023|5 min read
Restaurant owner uses restaurant equipment loans to stock their restaurant.

Editorial note: Our top priority is to give you the best financial information for your business. Nav may receive compensation from our partners, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions or recommendations. Our partners cannot pay for favorable reviews. All content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Equipping your new restaurant’s kitchen or dining room can cost a lot — between $50,000 and $150,000 on average. Restaurant business owners will need commercial kitchen equipment like stoves, ovens, and grills, as well as cold storage like refrigerators, freezers, walk-in coolers, and ice machines. A commercial oven alone can cost thousands of dollars. That’s why it’s often essential to look into financing solutions when you’re entering the restaurant industry.

Even if you are already operating and need to upgrade one piece of equipment, it’s good to know what restaurant equipment financing options may be open to you. Learn what financing programs there are, your best options, and how to apply in this article from Nav’s experts.

Financing Options for Restaurant Equipment Loans 

Many restaurant owners turn to small business loans that can be used for purchasing restaurant equipment — anything from fryers to dishwashers to dining sets is usually covered. Depending on the type of equipment you need to buy and how much you need to borrow, you can look into the following types of funding:

Equipment startup loans for restaurants can help just before a new establishment opens. Borrowers also turn to restaurant improvement loans when they are already operating their restaurant but need to make upgrades and enhancements. Using funding for larger purchases helps free up cash flow needed to cover everyday food service expenses, like groceries and payroll.

Compare Your Options From Top Business Lenders

There are an overwhelming number of lending choices out there, and it can be hard to know what type to choose and who you can trust. Here are some of the best options to fund your restaurant equipment purchases.

Term loans

Intermediate-Term Loan by Kapitus

Great for established businesses looking for large capital amounts.

Pros

  • Repayment term of 2-6 years for those who qualify
  • Favorable payment plans for businesses with $250k+ annual revenue
  • Specialty loan programs for medical practices.

Cons

  • Some repayment structures require weekly payments
  • Favorable terms for 3+ years time in business.

Funding Amount

$20,000 - $5,000,000

Cost

1%-1.5% per month

Repayment Terms

Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payments for 2 to 6 years

Funding Speed

1-3 days ($200,000 or less can be wired same day)

SBA Loan by SmartBiz

For high cost projects with long repayment. No immediate funds needed.

Pros

  • APR as low as 11.25% with monthly repayment plans up to 10 years
  • Ability to be pre-approved and review terms and conditions before needing to provide a full list of financial documents.

Cons

  • Lengthy application process (30-60 days) with lower approval odds
  • Requires more documents than other Bank Loan products.

Funding Amount

$30,000 - $500,000

Cost

11.25% - 13.25% APR

Repayment Terms

Monthly payments for 10 years

Funding Speed

1 month

Business lines of credit

Line of Credit by Fundbox

Nav recommends this product as a great solution for newer small businesses looking for a fast application process and access to a flexible LOC product. Bonus: When you click 'Apply now," we'll securely pass over your info, making applying with Fundbox a breeze. Only answer a few additional questions on their end and you're good to go.

Pros

  • 625 minimum personal credit score
  • No impact to credit score to apply (soft pull only)
  • No draw fees
  • Fast approval and funding, with funds available as soon as the next business day
  • Use as much as you need, only pay interest on what you use
  • Fundbox reports payment activity to all the major commercial credit bureaus via the Small Business Financial Exchange (SBFE), which can help strengthen a business's credit profile.

Cons

  • Must have a business checking account with a minimum balance of $500
  • May require large weekly payments (0.4% - 0.7% of the original draw amount per week) due to the short repayment duration.

Funding Amount

$1,000 - $150,000

Cost

As low as 4.99%*

Repayment Terms

12 or 24 weeks

Funding Speed

If approved, funds arrive as soon as the next business day.

Flex Line by Revenued

Revenued utilizes revenue-based financing to provide working capital to businesses based on their revenue, not traditional factors like an owner’s personal credit score. Since launching, they’ve provided over $1 billion in funding to 30,000 + small businesses. Expand your access to working capital while only paying for what you use with the Revenued Flex Line. Bonus: When you click 'Apply now," we'll securely pass over your info, making applying with Revenued a breeze. Only answer a few additional questions on their end and you're good to go.

Pros

  • No minimum credit score to apply. Approvals up to $500,000. 24/7 access to funds online and only pay for what you use. No application fee, no draw fee, no annual fee.

Cons

  • At least $20k in monthly deposits is required for best offer. Not available for Sole Proprietorships.

Funding Amount

$5,000 - $500,000

Cost

Factor Rates: 1.07 - 1.49

Repayment Terms

6-12 months

Funding Speed

Within 24 hours

Merchant cash advances

Business Cash Advance by Rapid Finance

A viable option for businesses looking for growth capital up to $600,000. Costs will vary based on your risk profile. This is a good product to get your foot in the door with a lender, with growth opportunities with Rapid Finance’s other products

Pros

  • Application is quick and easy
  • Receive funds within hours of approval
  • No business lien placed
  • No application fee
  • Can get approved for both a line of credit and term loan and accept both at the same time
  • Flexible repayment options.

Cons

  • Loan amounts are based on monthly revenue.

Funding Amount

$5,000-$600,000

Cost

1.20 Average Factor Rate

Repayment Terms

4 - 12 months

Funding Speed

1-3 days

Business Cash Advance by Credibly

Credibly offers flexible repayment plans with fixed rates, based on future receivables. Ideal for seasonal businesses and those with high credit card processing volumes.

Pros

  • Fixed payments
  • Offers the ability to pre-qualify without affecting your credit.

Cons

  • Must have at least $25,000 a month in sales, Max repayment term is 15 months

Funding Amount

$5,000 - $600,000

Cost

Factor rates as low as 1.11

Repayment Terms

Daily debits from your bank account for 3 to 18 months

Funding Speed

As quickly as 4 hours

Using Nav is the fastest and easiest way to compare restaurant equipment loans and other funding options that you know you can trust. Simply enter your business details securely and we will curate your top options for you, instantly.  

How to Apply for Restaurant Equipment Financing

Knowing how to apply when you need funding to buy new equipment or upgrade existing equipment is essential. However, the exact application process depends on the lender. Bank loans tend to have longer, more complicated applications than the more simple applications offered by online lenders. 

You’ll usually need to provide your personal credit score, your time in business, and your annual or monthly revenue before lenders will be able to make a credit decision. Also, you may need documentation to prove that you’re a registered business (an LLC or C-Corp, for example). 

Fees and Rates

The cost of debt you’ll pay will depend on your circumstances. The fees and rates you pay depend on your personal credit score, your business details, and what you’re applying for. With business funding, you’ll often need to make daily or monthly payments, depending on the repayment terms of your restaurant equipment loan agreement. And you might need to make a down payment.

Term loans will charge interest, and higher credit scores can allow lenders to offer you lower interest rates. Having bad credit might mean you’ll pay higher interest rates. Lines of credit usually charge interest (typically only on what you borrow) and a draw fee each time you borrow money, but not always. Always research your terms carefully to understand what you’re signing up for, and use Nav to help you find the right financing for your needs. 

FAQs on Restaurant Equipment Loans

What can restaurant equipment loans be used for?

You can use a restaurant equipment loan to pay for all the equipment your kitchen needs to operate and prepare food, as well as the needs for your restaurant as a whole. Customer seating, lighting, and waitstaff and hostess equipment like a point of sale (POS) device are all appropriate uses of these funds. If you’re unsure what you can use the loan for, ask your lender.

What is restaurant equipment leasing?

It is possible to lease, or rent, restaurant equipment. You’ll pay a monthly fee to an equipment leasing company to use its equipment, which can be more affordable up-front but may cost more over time. This is a great option if there’s a piece of equipment you only plan to use for a short period.

What’s better: equipment leasing vs. equipment loans?

The answer depends on what you qualify for and what your repayment terms look like. If you have bad credit, you may be better off leasing equipment. But it’s best to compare the total cost of the two options over time before you make a decision. Sometimes a smaller monthly payment with leasing will end up costing you thousands more over time.

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  • Tiffany Verbeck profile photo

    Tiffany Verbeck

    Digital Marketing Copywriter, Nav

    Tiffany Verbeck is a Digital Marketing Copywriter for Nav. She uses the skills she learned from her master’s degree in writing to provide guidance to small businesses trying to navigate the ins-and-outs of financing. Previously, she ran a writing business for three years, and her work has appeared on sites like Business Insider, VaroWorth, and Mission Lane.