Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Florida: SBA loan data
Since FY2018, SBA lenders have approved 85 7(a) loans to buy an existing business classified as Limited-Service Restaurants in Florida, totaling $49.6M. The median loan was $386,000. That is 2.3% of the 3,624 acquisition loans in Florida.
- Loans, FY2018-FY2026
- 85
- Median loan
- $386,000 (middle half $265,000 to $710,000)
- Top lender
- SouthState Bank, National Association (9%, 8 loans)
- Charge-off, FY2018-FY2021 loans
- 0.0% (all-acquisition: 3.5%)
- FY2026 loans (latest complete year)
- 9 (-40% vs FY2025)
SBA lenders approved 85 7(a) loans to buy a business classified as Limited-Service Restaurants in Florida from FY2018-FY2026, with a median of $386,000 and a middle half of $265,000 to $710,000. SouthState Bank, National Association made 9% of them. FY2026 had 9 loans, down 40% from FY2025.
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How Limited-Service Restaurants in Florida compares
| Measure | Limited-Service Restaurants in... | Florida, all industries | Limited-Service Restaurants, nationwide | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median loan | $386,000 | $751,700 | $350,000 | $645,250 |
| Middle half of loans | $265,000 to $710,000 | $350,000 to $1,584,250 | $202,500 to $693,375 | $283,000 to $1,465,000 |
| Average initial rate | 8.28% | 8.14% | 7.83% | 7.76% |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Charge-off rate (seasoned loans) | 0.0% | 5.7% | 5.3% | 3.5% |
| Loans in sample | 85 | 3,624 | 2,222 | 48,902 |
The median for loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida is $386,000, well below the $751,700 median for all Florida acquisitions, slightly above the $350,000 median for Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions nationwide and well below the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions nationally.
The middle half runs $265,000 to $710,000, against $283,000 to $1,465,000 nationally; the median term is 10 years, the same as the national median; the average initial rate is 8.28%, above the 7.76% national average.
None of the seasoned loans were charged off, against 5.7% for all Florida acquisitions, 5.3% for Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions nationwide and 3.5% for all acquisition loans.
Loan size distribution
| Loan size | Limited-Service Restaurants in... | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|
| Under $350K | 36% | 30% |
| $350K to under $1M | 51% | 33% |
| $1M to under $2M | 8% | 19% |
| $2M and over | 5% | 17% |
Most loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida (87%) were under $1M, and the largest single band is $350K to under $1M at 51%, against 33% of all acquisition loans.
Bands are fixed dollar ranges chosen for comparison. They are not SBA program limits.
Lender concentration
SouthState Bank, National Association made 9% of loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida, and the top three lenders together made 22%. 8 of the 45 lenders involved made three or more. Repeat experience is spread across many banks. That is a rough guide to how many banks have seen this kind of deal before.
Recent activity
In FY2025 and FY2026 combined, 24 loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida were approved. That is 26% more than the 19 approved in FY2023 and FY2024. The median was $436,500, slightly above the $386,000 median across all years.
Limited-Service Restaurants acquisition loans in Florida by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 8 | $2.5M | $311,250 | |
| FY2019 | 16 | $7.7M | $423,500 | |
| FY2020 | 4 | $2.9M | $725,600 | |
| FY2021 | 12 | $6.2M | $356,800 | |
| FY2022 | 2 | $2.8M | $1,386,000 | |
| FY2023 | 7 | $2.6M | $335,500 | |
| FY2024 | 12 | $8.6M | $507,500 | |
| FY2025 | 15 | $9.4M | $461,000 | |
| FY2026 | 9 | $6.9M | $412,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 40 Limited-Service Restaurants in Florida acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), none have been charged off by the SBA. 24 have already been paid in full.
For comparison, Limited-Service Restaurants in Florida has none charged off, against the 3.5% average across all SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the same cohort. Non-acquisition 7(a) loans (every other stated purpose) approved FY2018 to FY2021 charged off at 6.2%.
"Charged off" is the SBA's final loss action on a defaulted loan after collection efforts. It lags default by a year or more, which is why only older cohorts are measured. It is not the same as a delinquency rate, and loans still outstanding can still fail. See charge-off in the glossary.
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Top lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SouthState Bank, National Association | 8 | 9.4% | $7.4M | |
| 2 | Live Oak Banking Company | 7 | 8.2% | $8.2M | |
| 3 | Valley National Bank | 4 | 4.7% | $3.5M | |
| 4 | Seacoast National Bank | 4 | 4.7% | $2.1M | |
| 5 | The Huntington National Bank | 4 | 4.7% | $1.3M |
Top franchise brands
| # | Franchise | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Firehouse Subs | 6 | 7.1% | $3.4M | |
| 2 | Tropical Smoothie Cafe | 6 | 7.1% | $2.5M | |
| 3 | Dairy Queen | 5 | 5.9% | $6.8M | |
| 4 | Domino's Pizza | 4 | 4.7% | $1.7M | |
| 5 | Subway | 4 | 4.7% | $952K |
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Questions buyers ask
How much do SBA loans for Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Florida run?
The median SBA 7(a) loan was $386,000 across 85 loans (FY2018 to FY2026), with the middle half between $265,000 and $710,000. The loan excludes the buyer's equity and any seller note and may include working capital, so the price is usually higher than the loan.
Which banks finance Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Florida?
SouthState Bank, National Association (8), Live Oak Banking Company (7), Valley National Bank (4), Seacoast National Bank (4), The Huntington National Bank (4). Some lenders repeatedly finance this industry in this state; the counts above show which.
How often do Limited-Service Restaurants acquisition loans fail in Florida?
Of 40 seasoned loans (FY2018 to FY2021), none were charged off, against the 3.5% rate for all SBA acquisition loans. With a sample this size, treat the figure as a direction, not a precise rate.
Are franchised businesses part of Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Florida?
54 of the 85 loans (64%) involved a franchise brand, most often Firehouse Subs (6).
How much do you need down for an SBA loan to buy a fast-food restaurant in Florida?
The SBA requires the buyer to make an equity injection, commonly 10% of total project cost, and a lender may ask for more. The SBA file does not record injections, so the figures here are the financed portion: the median for loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida was $386,000, and the middle half ran $265,000 to $710,000.
How long does an SBA acquisition loan take?
For a change-of-ownership 7(a) loan, 45 to 90 days from application to close is typical. It varies by lender and by how quickly third-party reports, such as the business valuation and appraisal, come back. The SBA file records approval dates, not application dates, so this site cannot measure it. Lenders approved 24 loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida in FY2025 and FY2026.
Which banks make SBA loans for a fast-food restaurant in Florida?
By loan count, FY2018 to FY2026: SouthState Bank, National Association (8), Live Oak Banking Company (7), Valley National Bank (4), Seacoast National Bank (4), The Huntington National Bank (4). SouthState Bank, National Association made 9% of loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Florida. Counts show past approvals only and do not predict whether a lender will approve a particular deal.
Seller note standby terms and third-party consents are reviewed before closing.
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Related
- All Florida acquisitions
- Financing one? How to get an SBA loan to buy a fast food restaurant
- Limited-Service Restaurants nationally
- Limited-Service Restaurants in California
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Washington
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Texas
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Georgia
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Pennsylvania
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Michigan
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Illinois
- Limited-Service Restaurants in Ohio
- Full-Service Restaurants in Florida
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Small samples move a lot: each loan in this combination is 1% of the count. Industry is the NAICS code the lender recorded. See the methodology.
Cite this data
SBA Acquisition Data, "Limited-Service Restaurants in Florida: SBA acquisition loan data", https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/state/fl/limited-service-restaurants-722513 (data as of September 30, 2026). Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) loan file, data.sba.gov. Aggregated by SBA Acquisition Data.
The figures on this page are also published as JSON at https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/data/state/fl/limited-service-restaurants-722513.json.