What to have ready
Gather records from the business bank account and the systems that actually receive restaurant sales. Exact requirements depend on the product and provider; you can start a review before every item below is available.
1. Recent bank activity
- Four consecutive complete business bank statements, including statements that close mid-month.
- Current transaction history from the day after the latest complete statement through today if that statement leaves a gap.
- A note about unusual one-time deposits or transfers between your own accounts.
2. How sales reach the bank
- Card processor settlement reports and the bank deposits they match.
- Delivery-platform payout reports, including fees, refunds, and payout timing.
- Cash, catering, or event receipts that do not follow the normal card-settlement pattern.
3. Existing financing
- Names of current financing providers and the amount taken from the account each day or week.
- Current payoff or balance information if the provider has supplied it.
- Any other recurring obligations that reduce cash available for a new payment.
4. The actual need
- What the money will pay for: food inventory, payroll, repairs, equipment, renovation, or another specific purpose.
- The amount needed and when the expense comes due.
- How the business expects to carry payments in slower weeks, not only its strongest sales weeks.
Before comparing an option
Ask for the total amount to be repaid, payment frequency, and what happens if sales slow. A strong weekend or large delivery payout does not by itself establish that another daily or weekly payment is affordable.
Example question: “After payroll, food orders, rent, taxes, and current financing payments, what amount is normally left in a slower week?” The answer gives a more useful starting point than gross sales alone.