FOR RESTAURANTS & FOOD BUSINESSES

Restaurant Business Loans and Working Capital

Restaurants run on thin margins and tight timing. Food costs, payroll and rent come due every week, while slow seasons, equipment breakdowns and the cost of a second location can’t wait for a bank’s lengthy underwriting. Clear helps restaurants, cafes, bakeries, food trucks and caterers get working capital fast. One application gives you access to merchant cash advances, short term loans and lines of credit from 100+ lenders, with funding in as little as 1 to 2 days.

Apply for Restaurant Financing

Restaurant Working Capital Calculator

Amount Seeking
Desired Term
Estimated Weekly Payment
$0
500,000
Start Application
Funding up to
$5,000,000
Term lengths between
3 - 36 months
Funding within
1 - 2 Days
Time in business
6 months+
Smooth Out Slow Seasons
Cover payroll, food costs and rent through slow months, holidays and weather swings
Flexible
Use the funds for any business purpose, from a kitchen repair to a renovation or a new location
No Collateral
Merchant cash advances and short term loans require no collateral

What You Need to Get Started

Minimum Qualifications

6 months in business

$250,000 annual revenue

500+ FICO score for a merchant cash advance (600+ for a short term loan)

Required Documents

Completed Application

3 most recent business bank statements

Ready to Get Started? Apply Now

I had an opportunity to acquire a competitor but it required a large down payment within 3 days. I secured a short term loan through Clear the day after I applied and was able to make the acquisition. My revenue is now 40% higher than before!

R Magdalena CEO

Restaurant Financing FAQs

Related: Working capital loans · Merchant cash advance · Short term loan

Almost anything the business needs. Common uses include covering payroll and food costs through a slow season, repairing or replacing kitchen equipment, renovating a dining room, buying inventory ahead of a busy period and opening a new location. Merchant cash advances and short term loans have no restrictions on the use of funds.

Merchant cash advances and short term loans can fund within 1 to 2 days of approval, and it’s not uncommon for clients to receive funds the next day. You typically need only a completed application and your 3 most recent business bank statements.

Often, yes. Restaurants have steady daily card sales, which is what merchant cash advance funders look at most. A merchant cash advance offers up to $2 million over 3 to 24 months and is our easiest product to get approved for, with a 500+ FICO score. Payments are normally tied to a percentage of your sales, so they can ease when business is slower.

A short term loan offers up to $5 million over 6 to 36 months with interest from 11%, and generally needs a 600+ FICO score. A merchant cash advance is our easiest product to get approved for (500+ FICO) and offers up to $2 million over 3 to 24 months, priced with a factor rate from 1.14 instead of an interest rate. Your Clear loan advisor can compare offers side by side so you can choose.

A factor rate is the total cost of a merchant cash advance. For example, if you receive $20,000 at a factor rate of 1.15, you repay $23,000, so your cost of money is $3,000.

Often, yes. A merchant cash advance can work with a FICO score of 500 or higher because approval is driven mainly by your revenue and bank deposits. Short term loans generally need 600+, and lines of credit 650+.

For a merchant cash advance: 6 months in business, $250,000+ in annual revenue and a 500+ FICO score. For a short term loan: 6 months in business, $250,000+ in annual revenue and a 600+ FICO score. For a line of credit: 12 months in business, $400,000+ in annual revenue and a 650+ FICO score.

Merchant cash advance payments are made daily (Monday to Friday), weekly or semi-monthly by automatic ACH withdrawal. Short term loan payments are weekly or monthly. With a merchant cash advance, payments are normally tied to a percentage of your sales, so if revenue drops you can usually ask to lower the payment.

Clear is a business loan marketplace with 100+ lenders. One application lets you compare offers across products, and a dedicated loan advisor helps you choose terms that fit your sales cycle. See how an Italian restaurant, a coffee shop, a deli and a restaurant facing unexpected costs got funded.