Restaurant Opening Cost Calculator

Put in your quotes line by line. The calculator adds a contingency and the cash you need on hand after opening, and gives you the total to raise.

Last updated November 10, 2026.

Free calculator

Restaurant opening cost calculator

The numbers filled in are an example for a 60-seat restaurant, not a benchmark. Replace each one with your own quotes.

Build-out and leasehold improvements ($) Kitchen equipment ($) Furniture, fixtures and decor ($) POS, tech and security ($) Permits, licenses, legal and design fees ($) Pre-opening payroll and training ($) Opening food, beverage and supplies ($) Launch marketing ($) Deposits (rent, utilities) ($) Fixed costs per month once open ($) Months of cash reserve Contingency (%) Seats

Free: The Restaurant Financial Health Checklist. 30 monthly checks across sales mix, prime cost, 4-wall EBITDA, cash and operations, with the target ranges I use. Written by a former chain CFO. Instant PDF.

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The two lines most budgets leave out

Contingency: build-outs run over. I’d hold at least 10% of opening costs back for it, more for an old building.
Cash reserve: a new restaurant rarely covers its costs in month one. I’d have at least three months of fixed costs in the bank on opening day.

In the example, the line items come to $715,000. Add 10% contingency ($71,500) and three months of $40,000 fixed costs ($120,000), and the total to raise is $906,500, about $15,100 a seat.

That gap between the quote sheet and the real number is where openings run out of cash. The cash flow post shows how it happens once you’re open.

Check the budget against break-even

Once you have the total, run the break-even calculator with the fixed costs you used here, including the loan payment on what you borrow. If break-even needs more guests a day than the room can seat on a normal night, the budget doesn’t work yet.

For a week-by-week view of the first months, the 13-week cash flow model is built for it.

More on this: the line-item opening budget.

From the Toolkit

Plan the first months of cash, week by week.

The Toolkit pairs a break-even model with a 13-week cash forecast, so you can see when opening cash runs low before it does.

Get the Toolkit, $67

FAQ

How much does it cost to open a restaurant?
It depends on the space, the concept and how much of the kitchen is already there. Add up real quotes for each line, then add contingency and a cash reserve. That total is your number.

How much contingency should I add?
At least 10% of opening costs. More if the building is old or the kitchen is new construction.

How much cash should I have when I open?
At least three months of fixed costs. See how much cash a restaurant should keep.