Hospitality business loans

Finance for cafes, restaurants, bars and other hospitality venues, from fit-outs and kitchen equipment to cash flow, through a panel of 100+ bank, non-bank and private lenders.

  • Fit-outs and kitchen equipment
  • Cash flow through quiet months
  • No obligation

In a nutshell

Hospitality businesses use finance for fit-outs, kitchen equipment, stock, buying a venue and getting through quiet months. Non-bank lenders often lend from about 6 months of trading, assessing you mainly on the takings in your bank statements, and kitchen equipment can be financed, leased or rented. Banks usually cost less but want more history, paperwork and security. Depending on the lender, decisions can be as quick as a few hours.

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At a glance

Fit-outs
Equipment finance or a business loan
Kitchen equipment
Finance, lease or rental
Cash flow
Overdrafts, lines of credit and short-term loans
Minimum trading
From about 6 months with some lenders
Decision time
Hours to days
Interest rates
Vary by lender and business

How hospitality businesses use finance

Cafes, restaurants, bars and other venues spend heavily up front on fit-outs and equipment, run on tight margins and see takings rise and fall with the seasons. Finance helps spread the big costs and smooth out the quiet months, so a busy summer pays for a slow winter.

Fit-outs and kitchen equipment

Coffee machines, ovens, refrigeration, furniture and point-of-sale systems can be financed with equipment finance, leased or rented. Financing or leasing suits equipment you'll keep. Rental suits new venues, or equipment you may want to upgrade, and some rentals let you buy the equipment later. Certified used equipment can cut the cost; see our guide to used equipment finance.

Fit-outs are harder to finance as equipment, because they have little resale value, so many venues use a business loan for the fit-out and equipment finance for the kit.

Cash flow through quiet months

A business overdraft or line of credit lets you draw in the quiet months and repay when trade picks up, paying interest only on what you use. Short-term unsecured loans suit one-off needs, such as stocking up before a busy season.

Buying a cafe, restaurant or franchise

When you buy an existing venue, lenders look at its trading history, the lease and your experience. Have your accountant check the figures and make sure the lease has enough time left. For franchise venues, see our guide to franchise finance, as banks often lend more to accredited franchise systems.

What lenders look at

  • steady takings in your business bank statements
  • how long you've been trading, and your experience in hospitality
  • your lease term and rent
  • any ATO debt, which is common in hospitality and which lenders will ask about
  • your credit history and existing debts

Eligibility and documents

What lenders usually look for

  • An active ABN, and often GST registration
  • Trading history, from about 4 to 6 months with some non-bank lenders to 2 years or more with banks
  • Regular takings in your business bank statements
  • A lease with enough time left to cover the loan term
  • A credit history the lender is comfortable with

Documents you may need

  • Identification for each director or owner
  • Business bank statements, usually 6 to 12 months
  • Your lease, and your liquor licence if you have one
  • Quotes for the fit-out or equipment
  • For larger loans or buying a venue, financial statements, tax returns and BAS

Requirements vary by lender. All lending is subject to each lender's credit criteria and assessment.

What lenders publish

Here's a selection of what lenders publish about products that hospitality businesses use. It isn't a full list of lenders or a ranking.

  • Silverchef funds hospitality equipment only, mainly through Rent-Try-Buy, a 12-month rental with the option to upgrade or buy. It also sells certified used equipment with a 3-month warranty, and finances changes of business ownership. Profile →
  • Shift's Equipment Line pays for new or second-hand equipment and fit-outs in instalments, and its business overdraft links to the bank account you already have. Profile →
  • Lumi's business loans and lines of credit go up to $1 million, mostly unsecured up to $300,000, for businesses trading 6 months or more with $50,000 or more in annual revenue. Profile →
  • Prospa's Small Business Loan goes up to $500,000, with no upfront security up to $150,000, for businesses trading 6 months or more with $6,000 or more in monthly turnover. Profile →
  • Bizcap's fast business loans need 4 months of trading and $12,000 or more in monthly revenue, and Bizcap says approval can come in as little as 3 hours. Profile →

A sample of lenders, as published by each lender, checked 23 October 2026.

Which finance fits which hospitality cost?

A new fit-out

Usual finance option
Equipment finance or a business loan
Why it fits
Spreads the cost over the life of the fit-out

Coffee machines, ovens and fridges

Usual finance option
Equipment finance, a lease or a rental
Why it fits
Rentals let you upgrade or return equipment

Quiet months and seasonal dips

Usual finance option
Overdraft or line of credit
Why it fits
Draw only in the months you need it

Stock and suppliers

Usual finance option
Trade account or line of credit
Why it fits
Pays suppliers now and repays from takings

Buying an existing venue

Usual finance option
Business loan, sometimes with property security
Why it fits
Assessed on the venue's trading history

Related guides

Talk to us about hospitality business loans

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FAQs

Questions about hospitality business loans

It's harder before you've started trading, because most lenders assess your takings. Start-ups usually rely on their own funds, property security or equipment finance for the fit-out. Some non-bank lenders lend from about 4 to 6 months of trading.

Unsecured lenders size loans mainly on your takings and cash flow, often up to a few hundred thousand dollars. Larger amounts, or buying a venue, usually need property security or full financials.

Financing or leasing suits equipment you'll keep for years. Rental, such as Silverchef's Rent-Try-Buy, suits new venues and equipment you may want to upgrade or return, with the option to buy later.

Yes. Fit-outs can be financed with equipment finance, where the lender will fund them, or with a business loan. Shift's Equipment Line, for example, pays for fit-out purchases in instalments.

Some do, because hospitality businesses can have thin margins and change hands often. Lenders look closely at your takings, your lease, your experience and any ATO debt. Steady takings in your bank statements help most.

Depending on the lender, decisions can be as quick as a few hours for unsecured loans and equipment finance. Buying a venue or a bank loan usually takes a few weeks.

No. There's no cost to you for our service. We're paid by the lender when your finance settles, and there's no obligation to proceed.

This page is general information only and isn't credit, tax or financial advice. Lender details are taken from each lender's published information, checked 23 October 2026, and can change. All lending is subject to each lender's credit criteria and assessment.