Don't buy a restaurant blind.

35+ years of actually owning and running restaurants — now on your side of the table. We help first-time buyers and current owners make the right deal, avoid the expensive mistakes, and run a place that lasts.

Operator & owner since 1986
California Tortilla  ·  Auntie Anne's-style Pretzels  ·  Everything Yogurt  ·  Café Panini  ·  Fatty's Taphouse  ·  Fatty's Winghouse
The problem

Most first-time buyers don't know what they don't know.

They fall in love with a location, not the numbers. They sign a lease that quietly eats the profit. They trust the seller's P&L without knowing what to question. By the time the problems show up, the money's already spent.

You don't need a cheerleader. You need someone who's actually run the line, made payroll, and lived through a bad lease — looking out for you.

What we do

Advisory built for both sides of the counter.

Buying your first restaurant?

For first-time buyers
  • Deal vetting — the real numbers behind the seller's pitch
  • Franchise evaluation — economics after fees and royalties
  • Lease & location review — spot the profit-killing terms
  • Valuation sanity-check — are you paying a fair price?
  • From first look to opening day

Already own a place?

For existing owners
  • Operational turnaround — find the leaks in labor & food cost
  • P&L deep-dive — where the money's actually going
  • Expansion readiness — the second location, done right
  • Exit prep — get deal-ready and properly valued before you sell

We've been the operator — not just the advisor.

Anyone can call themselves a restaurant consultant. Very few have owned and run six concepts across franchise and independent models for 35+ years. We've signed the leases, fixed the food cost, and survived the first year — so you can too.

How it works

Simple, honest, no pressure.

1

Free intro call

Tell us what you're looking at. 20 minutes, no pitch.

2

Pick a package

One-time deal review, or ongoing advisory.

3

We dig in

Numbers, lease, franchise terms, operations — and the truth.

4

You decide

With confidence, knowing what you're actually buying.

Services & pricing

Straightforward pricing. No commissions.

Flat fees and retainers — so our advice is always in your interest, never the deal's.

Deal Review

$1,950 flat

One acquisition, fully vetted: numbers, lease, franchise economics, and a valuation sanity-check — with a written go/no-go.

Get started
Most popular

Buy-Side Advisory

$2,000/mo

Guidance from search through opening day. 3-month minimum — or $5,400 for 3 months paid upfront.

Get started

Owner Tune-Up

$2,950 flat

Operational + P&L deep-dive on your existing location, with a clear action plan. Ongoing support at $1,500/mo.

Get started

Not sure where to start? The free 20-minute call is always free.

About

Why I started this.

I've spent 35+ years building, owning, and running restaurants — franchise and independent. I started Restaurant Acquisition Experts because I kept watching good people buy the wrong place for the wrong price. Now I help buyers and owners make decisions with their eyes open.

— Christopher Ahn, Founder

Thinking about buying a restaurant? Let's talk before you sign anything.

Tell me a little about what you're looking at. I'll reply personally — no pitch, no pressure.