Business Plans

A business plan will address goals for your restaurant & ways to achieve them.

Our restaurant business plan is a formal presentation that includes the business goals, the reasons why we believe they are attainable, and the plan for reaching profit goals and creation of wealth. We find that a well organized business plan can greatly improve your restaurant’s concept development and ability to consistently establish and meet objectives in a way that best serves the company’s owners, employees and investors.

At The Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group we will provide your restaurant business consultant to address the following topics and more:

• Confidentiality Agreement
• Executive Summary
• Market Analysis
• Business Overview
• Assumptions and Explanations
• Concept Development
• Products and Services
• Operating Model
• Management and Ownership
• Funds Required and Their Uses
• Mission Statement
• Year 1 Sales and Profit Projections & Breakeven
• 5-Year Projection
• Return on Investment Analysis

From startup to opening day, we will guide your team through the project calendar to ensure a successful opening. Contact us today to get started!

Restaurant Business Plans FAQs

What should be included in a restaurant business plan?

A well-written business plan can aid new restaurant owners in evaluating whether or not their restaurant concept will be financially sound. It should include assumptions and explanations of performance that serve as the foundation for the financial performance. At minimum, a restaurant business plan should include an executive summary, concept and operating model, market analysis, products/services, management organization, funds required and uses, and financial projections (Year 1, break-even, 5-year, ROI). If you’re still defining the guest experience, we often pair planning with Brand Development and Menu Development.

Can a restaurant business plan help me secure a loan or attract investors?

Yes. A well-built restaurant business plan shows lenders and investors exactly how you’ll make money—startup costs, capital uses, realistic sales assumptions, break-even, and ROI. We’ll help you present it in a clean, professional format and, when needed, tighten the deal structure with Investment Structure. For investor expectations, read How to Attract Investors to Your Restaurant.

How long does it take to write a restaurant business plan?

Timeline depends on how much is already defined (concept, location, menu direction, and financial assumptions). After a discovery call, we map a project calendar and work backward from your lender or investor deadline. If you still need market validation, we may recommend starting with Feasibility Studies. For a launch roadmap, see Launch Your Restaurant This Summer.

How much does a restaurant business plan cost?

Business plan pricing depends on scope—concept complexity, number of locations, and whether you’re bundling services like Feasibility Studies. Typically business plans range from $4,000 to $5,000 in price. Feasibility study pricing depends on location and size of the market the restaurant will operate in. We’ll give you a clear quote after a quick discovery call. For more on pricing, see our FAQ or contact us to schedule a call with Scott.

Can you update an existing restaurant business plan for expansion or a turnaround?

Yes. We update restaurant business plans for expansions, new locations, refinancing, or raising capital—refreshing assumptions, budgets, and 1- and 5-year projections. If you want to “plug leaks” before you scale, bundle the plan with our Operations Consulting service.