Restaurant Loan Requirements: The Complete Checklist

Restaurant loan requirements center on four things — credit score, time in business, monthly revenue, and documentation — but the exact bar shifts a lot by loan type: an SBA loan wants 650+ credit and 2+ years in business; a cash advance can approve with a 500s credit score and 3 months of sales history. Knowing which requirements apply to which loan type before you apply saves a wasted credit pull.

The Four Requirements That Matter Most

Credit score. 680+ unlocks the best SBA and bank rates. 650–680 still qualifies for most programs at standard pricing. Below 650, equipment financing and cash advances remain realistic; general term loans and SBA get harder. Time in business. Many online and equipment lenders work with 6+ months; SBA and bank term loans typically want 1–2 years of tax returns. Startups aren't excluded — see restaurant startup loans — but the loan type shifts. Monthly revenue. Most lenders set a minimum, commonly $8,000–$15,000/month for online lenders, higher for larger loan amounts. Documentation. Varies by loan type — see below.

Requirements by Loan Type

Loan type	Credit	Time in business	Documentation
SBA 7(a)	650+	2+ years (startups OK w/ plan)	Full tax returns, business plan, PFS
Equipment financing	600+	6+ months	Equipment quote, bank statements
Line of credit	600+	6-12 months	Bank statements, basic business info
Cash advance	Often no minimum	3-6 months	Bank/processing statements

Documentation Checklist

The SBA's loan application checklist is a useful baseline even for non-SBA loans — most of the same documents (tax returns, bank statements, a business plan) show up across nearly every lender type, just with different depth requirements.

For most loan applications, gather: 2–3 months of recent business bank statements, basic business formation documents (EIN, entity registration), and — for larger loans — 2 years of business tax returns, a personal financial statement for owners with 20%+ stake, and a lease agreement or purchase contract for the space. Equipment loans additionally need the vendor quote or invoice. Having all of this ready before applying is the single biggest factor in how fast you get funded.

What If You Don't Meet the Standard Requirements?

A lower credit score doesn't mean no options — it means different ones. Equipment financing and cash advances weigh collateral and revenue over credit history. A shorter time in business shifts you toward startup-focused paths rather than disqualifying you outright. The full menu of options by situation is in restaurant business loans; the fastest way to find out what you actually qualify for is a soft-pull prequalification, which doesn't affect your credit score.

How Requirements Differ for Startups

A brand-new restaurant with no revenue history faces a different set of requirements — lenders lean on personal credit, a detailed business plan, and often a larger down payment (15–25%) in place of the operating history they'd otherwise underwrite. See restaurant startup loans for the startup-specific path.

Not sure what you qualify for? Check your options — a soft inquiry shows real offers without affecting your credit score.