Full-Service Restaurants acquisitions in New Jersey: SBA loan data
Since FY2018, SBA lenders have approved 85 7(a) loans to buy an existing business classified as Full-Service Restaurants in New Jersey, totaling $100M. The median loan was $945,000. That is 7.5% of the 1,130 acquisition loans in New Jersey.
- Loans, FY2018-FY2026
- 85
- Median loan
- $945,000 (middle half $437,000 to $1,500,000)
- Top lender
- Unity Bank (12%, 10 loans)
- Charge-off, FY2018-FY2021 loans
- 3.0% (all-acquisition: 3.5%)
- FY2026 loans (latest complete year)
- 15 (-12% vs FY2025)
SBA lenders approved 85 7(a) loans to buy a business classified as Full-Service Restaurants in New Jersey from FY2018-FY2026, with a median of $945,000 and a middle half of $437,000 to $1,500,000. Unity Bank made 12% of them. FY2026 had 15 loans, down 12% from FY2025.
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How Full-Service Restaurants in New Jersey compares
| Measure | Full-Service Restaurants in... | New Jersey, all industries | Full-Service Restaurants, nationwide | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median loan | $945,000 | $719,500 | $411,700 | $645,250 |
| Middle half of loans | $437,000 to $1,500,000 | $340,550 to $1,584,000 | $225,000 to $819,000 | $283,000 to $1,465,000 |
| Average initial rate | 8.21% | 8.08% | 8.08% | 7.76% |
| Median term | 10.5 years | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Charge-off rate (seasoned loans) | 3.0% | 2.0% | 5.9% | 3.5% |
| Loans in sample | 85 | 1,130 | 2,797 | 48,902 |
The median for loans to buy restaurants in New Jersey is $945,000, above the $719,500 median for all New Jersey acquisitions, well above the $411,700 median for Full-Service Restaurants acquisitions nationwide and well above the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions nationally.
The middle half runs $437,000 to $1,500,000, against $283,000 to $1,465,000 nationally; the median term is 10.5 years, longer than the national median of 10 years; the average initial rate is 8.21%, above the 7.76% national average.
Seasoned loans were charged off at 3.0%, well above the 2.0% rate for all New Jersey acquisitions, well below the 5.9% rate for Full-Service Restaurants acquisitions nationwide and below the 3.5% rate for all acquisition loans.
Loan size distribution
| Loan size | Full-Service Restaurants in... | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|
| Under $350K | 19% | 30% |
| $350K to under $1M | 34% | 33% |
| $1M to under $2M | 32% | 19% |
| $2M and over | 15% | 17% |
Most loans to buy restaurants in New Jersey (53%) were under $1M, and the largest single band is $350K to under $1M at 34%, against 33% of all acquisition loans.
Bands are fixed dollar ranges chosen for comparison. They are not SBA program limits.
Lender concentration
Unity Bank made 12% of loans to buy restaurants in New Jersey, and the top three lenders together made 29%. 10 of the 36 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, 32 loans to buy restaurants in New Jersey were approved. That is 129% more than the 14 approved in FY2023 and FY2024. The median was $938,250, in line with the $945,000 median across all years.
Full-Service Restaurants acquisition loans in New Jersey by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 5 | $8.3M | $1,250,000 | |
| FY2019 | 16 | $16M | $1,045,000 | |
| FY2020 | 6 | $7.7M | $1,034,000 | |
| FY2021 | 6 | $5.5M | $866,250 | |
| FY2022 | 6 | $5.8M | $866,000 | |
| FY2023 | 9 | $6.7M | $600,000 | |
| FY2024 | 5 | $4.1M | $1,000,000 | |
| FY2025 | 17 | $27.4M | $980,000 | |
| FY2026 | 15 | $18.9M | $845,000 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Of the 33 Full-Service Restaurants in New Jersey acquisition loans approved from FY2018 to FY2021 (the seasoned cohort, every loan at least about five years old), 1 have been charged off by the SBA, a rate of 3.0% by loan count and 0.9% by dollars. 25 have already been paid in full.
For comparison, the charge-off rate across all SBA 7(a) acquisition loans in the same cohort is 3.5%, so Full-Service Restaurants in New Jersey is 14% lower than the acquisition-loan average. 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 | Unity Bank | 10 | 11.8% | $11M | |
| 2 | Provident Bank | 9 | 10.6% | $10.2M | |
| 3 | Beacon Bank and Trust | 6 | 7.1% | $9M | |
| 4 | Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB | 6 | 7.1% | $5M | |
| 5 | Columbia Bank | 5 | 5.9% | $9.1M |
Top franchise brands
| # | Franchise | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denny's | 4 | 4.7% | $5.6M | |
| 2 | Golden Corral | 1 | 1.2% | $4M | |
| 3 | IHOP | 1 | 1.2% | $500K |
Seller note standby terms and third-party consents are reviewed before closing.
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Questions buyers ask
How much do SBA loans for Full-Service Restaurants acquisitions in New Jersey run?
The median SBA 7(a) loan was $945,000 across 85 loans (FY2018 to FY2026), with the middle half between $437,000 and $1,500,000. 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 Full-Service Restaurants acquisitions in New Jersey?
Unity Bank (10), Provident Bank (9), Beacon Bank and Trust (6), Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB (6), Columbia Bank (5). Some lenders repeatedly finance this industry in this state; the counts above show which.
How often do Full-Service Restaurants acquisition loans fail in New Jersey?
3.0% of 33 seasoned loans (FY2018 to FY2021) were charged off, against 3.5% 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 Full-Service Restaurants acquisitions in New Jersey?
6 of the 85 loans (7%) involved a franchise brand, most often Denny's (4).
How much do you need down for an SBA loan to buy a restaurant in New Jersey?
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 restaurants in New Jersey was $945,000, and the middle half ran $437,000 to $1,500,000.
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 32 loans to buy restaurants in New Jersey in FY2025 and FY2026.
Which banks make SBA loans for a restaurant in New Jersey?
By loan count, FY2018 to FY2026: Unity Bank (10), Provident Bank (9), Beacon Bank and Trust (6), Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB (6), Columbia Bank (5). Unity Bank made 12% of loans to buy restaurants in New Jersey. Counts show past approvals only and do not predict whether a lender will approve a particular deal.
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Related
- All New Jersey acquisitions
- Financing one? How to get an SBA loan to buy a restaurant
- Full-Service Restaurants nationally
- Full-Service Restaurants in California
- Full-Service Restaurants in Texas
- Full-Service Restaurants in Florida
- Full-Service Restaurants in Washington
- Full-Service Restaurants in Georgia
- Full-Service Restaurants in Illinois
- Full-Service Restaurants in Pennsylvania
- Full-Service Restaurants in Michigan
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers in New Jersey
- Limited-Service Restaurants in New Jersey
- Child Care Services in New Jersey
- Funeral Homes and Funeral Services in New Jersey
- Landscaping Services in New Jersey
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers in New Jersey
- Hotels and Motels in New Jersey
- Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors in New Jersey
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, "Full-Service Restaurants in New Jersey: SBA acquisition loan data", https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/state/nj/full-service-restaurants-722511 (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/nj/full-service-restaurants-722511.json.