Business loans for takeaway shops: what lenders check and which finance fits

From 1 October 2026, the small card surcharge many takeaway shops add at the counter is on its way out. The Reserve Bank has decided to end surcharging on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa debit and credit cards, and it expects the card networks to ban the practice on its behalf. For a shop that ran thousands of small tap-and-go transactions a month, that surcharge quietly paid the merchant fees. Now those fees come out of margin, unless prices move.

It’s a good example of why takeaway finance is so closely tied to everyday cash flow. Fish and chip shops, pizza bars, kebab and burger joints, charcoal chicken and Asian takeaways all run on small, frequent sales and thin margins. Lenders know that, and they assess these businesses accordingly.

How do lenders view takeaway shops?

Fairly warmly, if the numbers are visible. A takeaway’s bank statements tell a clear story: card settlements land almost every day, and a lender can see in minutes whether takings are steady, growing or sliding. Shops that bank most of their cash takings as well give a fuller, more convincing picture.

What makes lenders cautious:

• Low barriers to entry. Anyone can open a competitor across the road, and turnover in the industry is high.
• Lease dependence. Your trading location is often your biggest asset, and you don’t own it. A lease with little time left limits how much and how long anyone will lend.
• Equipment that’s hard to resell. Exhaust canopies and fitted cool rooms rarely fetch much second-hand.
• Delivery platform reliance. Shops doing a large share of trade through app-based delivery can see margins squeezed by commissions.

Banks lend to established takeaways with two or more years of solid figures and security, and for those businesses they’re often the cheapest option available. Newer shops, or owners without property, usually turn to non-bank lenders that assess the business on its bank statements.

What do takeaway owners usually finance?

Cooking and refrigeration equipment. Fryer ranges, pizza ovens, rotisseries, chargrills, woks, bain-maries, upright fridges and walk-in cool rooms. Equipment finance is usually the lowest-cost route because the gear secures the loan. When a fryer dies on a Friday afternoon, speed matters, and many lenders can approve equipment loans in a day or two.

Exhaust and fit-out. Commercial exhaust hoods, fire suppression, grease traps, tiling and counters. These are expensive and hard to repossess, so they’re often funded with a term loan or unsecured business loan. Our guide to commercial kitchen fit-outs goes through costing and funding in detail.

Buying a shop. Purchasing an existing takeaway is common, and it’s where finance gets more involved (see below).

Working capital. Stock, wages for a new staff member, a slow winter month or an unexpected repair bill. A small unsecured loan or business line of credit usually fits.

Need equipment replaced quickly or planning a refit? Outline the job here and a specialist phones you back; no credit check is run at that stage.

What’s the catch with merchant cash advances?

Takeaway shops are a natural target for merchant cash advances, because their card takings are so regular. The provider pays an upfront amount, then collects a slice of your daily card sales (or a set daily debit) until it’s recovered.

The appeal is real: fast approval, little paperwork, repayments that ease on slow days. The cost is the issue. Advances are usually priced with a factor rate rather than an interest rate, and the total dollar cost can be much higher than it looks. Run the numbers through our factor rate calculator to see what you’d really repay.

The bigger danger is stacking, where a new advance lands on top of one that hasn’t been repaid yet. Each one takes its cut from the same takings, and a shop can end up with very little left to pay wages. If that has already happened, our page on existing online loans and stacking explains how to consolidate.

Buying an existing takeaway: what lenders will want to see

Most of a takeaway’s sale price is goodwill and equipment. Lenders discount both heavily, so a buyer usually needs a deposit, home equity, or both. Before you commit, gather:

• The vendor’s real figures. Bank statements and BAS for at least a year, not just a summary from the agent. Lenders are wary of claimed cash takings that never hit the bank.
• The lease. Remaining term, options, rent, outgoings, and the landlord’s willingness to transfer it to you. Many lenders want the lease (including options) to run at least as long as the loan.
• An equipment list. Age, condition and whether anything is under finance or listed on the PPSR.
• Council and food safety records. Registration, inspection history and any outstanding orders.

For a broader look at structuring a purchase, see buying a business.

Two cost changes worth planning for

Card surcharges. The RBA’s conclusions paper says removing surcharges on the designated networks comes with lower interchange caps, and it estimates wholesale card costs for merchants will fall by around $910 million a year overall. Lower costs help, but a shop that previously surcharged will probably still be worse off unless it reviews prices. American Express is outside this change for now. Before taking on new debt, rerun your margins with no surcharge revenue; our margin and markup calculator makes this quick.

Food safety supervisor rules. Standard 3.2.2A of the Food Standards Code started on 8 December 2023. FSANZ lists takeaway shops among businesses generally covered. Depending on what you do, you’ll need some or all of: a certified food safety supervisor, food handler training for staff, and records showing key food safety controls. The cost is modest, but a council closure for non-compliance is not. Lenders rarely ask about it directly; they do care if a shop’s income stops for two weeks.

Documents to have on hand

1. Six to twelve months of business bank statements
2. BAS lodgments and an ATO account statement
3. Financial statements and tax returns if borrowing a larger amount or applying to a bank
4. Your lease, including options
5. Equipment quotes or the dealer’s tax invoice
6. Council food business registration
7. For purchases: the contract of sale and the vendor’s financial records

Example: a fish and chip shop before summer

Illustrative only; not a real business. A family has run a fish and chip shop in a South Australian beach town for six years. Summer takings are close to double the winter months. In September the old three-pan fryer range starts failing, and a new range with filtration costs about $28k installed. The owners also want a second upright freezer to stock up before the holidays.

Their bank would consider it but needs updated financials from the accountant, who is weeks behind. Instead, the owners finance the fryer range and freezer on equipment finance through a non-bank lender, approved within two days, with the gear as security. They also review their pricing ahead of the surcharge change, adding a modest increase to the menu rather than absorbing card costs. The new range is running before the first school holiday rush.

Getting your shop’s finance sorted

A takeaway can’t stop serving because a fryer gave out or a lease came up for renewal. When something needs funding, the goal is to keep the doors open while choosing a loan you’ll be comfortable paying back from normal takings.

Our enquiry form takes about a minute, and filling it in leaves your credit history untouched. Your details aren’t broadcast to a list of lenders, so you won’t be fielding calls all week. Someone on our team reads your situation personally and rings you to talk it through. Accurate takings, lease details and loan purpose make it far easier to put the right option in front of you straight away.

See what your takeaway could qualify for →