Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Tennessee: SBA loan data
Since FY2018, SBA lenders have approved 29 7(a) loans to buy an existing business classified as Limited-Service Restaurants in Tennessee, totaling $25.6M. The median loan was $495,000. That is 4.6% of the 624 acquisition loans in Tennessee.
- Loans, FY2018-FY2026
- 29
- Median loan
- $495,000 (middle half $219,500 to $900,000)
- Top lender
- Live Oak Banking Company (14%, 4 loans)
- FY2026 loans (latest complete year)
- 2
SBA lenders approved 29 7(a) loans to buy a business classified as Limited-Service Restaurants in Tennessee from FY2018-FY2026, with a median of $495,000 and a middle half of $219,500 to $900,000. Live Oak Banking Company made 14% of them. FY2026 had 2 loans.
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How Limited-Service Restaurants in Tennessee compares
| Measure | Limited-Service Restaurants in... | Tennessee, all industries | Limited-Service Restaurants, nationwide | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median loan | $495,000 | $807,000 | $350,000 | $645,250 |
| Middle half of loans | $219,500 to $900,000 | $350,000 to $1,701,750 | $202,500 to $693,375 | $283,000 to $1,465,000 |
| Average initial rate | 7.95% | 7.90% | 7.83% | 7.76% |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Charge-off rate (seasoned loans) | n/a | 2.8% | 5.3% | 3.5% |
| Loans in sample | 29 | 624 | 2,222 | 48,902 |
The median for loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Tennessee is $495,000, below the $807,000 median for all Tennessee acquisitions, well above the $350,000 median for Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions nationwide and below the $645,250 median for all SBA-financed acquisitions nationally.
The middle half runs $219,500 to $900,000, 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 7.95%, above the 7.76% national average.
Too few of these loans are old enough to measure a charge-off rate; the national rate for seasoned acquisition loans is 3.5%.
Loan size distribution
| Loan size | Limited-Service Restaurants in... | All acquisitions |
|---|---|---|
| Under $350K | 38% | 30% |
| $350K to under $1M | 41% | 33% |
| $1M to under $2M | 7% | 19% |
| $2M and over | 14% | 17% |
Most loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Tennessee (79%) were under $1M, and the largest single band is $350K to under $1M at 41%, against 33% of all acquisition loans.
Bands are fixed dollar ranges chosen for comparison. They are not SBA program limits.
Lender concentration
Live Oak Banking Company made 14% of loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Tennessee, and the top three lenders together made 31%. 2 of the 21 lenders involved made three or more. Only 2 lenders have repeat experience here. That is a rough guide to how many banks have seen this kind of deal before.
Recent activity
In FY2025 and FY2026 combined, 6 loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Tennessee were approved. Fewer than 10 loans were approved in FY2023 and FY2024, so no change is computed. The median was $772,500, well above the $495,000 median across all years.
Limited-Service Restaurants acquisition loans in Tennessee by year
| Fiscal year | Loans | Total approved | Median loan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 3 | $986K | $357,300 | |
| FY2019 | 6 | $2.1M | $216,450 | |
| FY2020 | 3 | $5.5M | $280,000 | |
| FY2021 | 2 | $874K | $436,750 | |
| FY2022 | 3 | $4.9M | $1,481,400 | |
| FY2023 | 4 | $2.4M | $662,750 | |
| FY2024 | 2 | $2.9M | $1,430,000 | |
| FY2025 | 4 | $2.7M | $691,500 | |
| FY2026 | 2 | $3.4M | $1,677,500 |
How often do these acquisition loans fail?
Fewer than 20 Limited-Service Restaurants in Tennessee acquisition loans are old enough to measure losses reliably, so no charge-off rate is shown. The benchmark across all SBA acquisition loans in the FY2018 to FY2021 cohort is 3.5% by count. 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 | Live Oak Banking Company | 4 | 13.8% | $11M | |
| 2 | Fifth Third Bank | 3 | 10.3% | $1.7M | |
| 3 | Banc of California | 2 | 6.9% | $1M | |
| 4 | North State Bank | 2 | 6.9% | $874K | |
| 5 | Stearns Bank National Association | 2 | 6.9% | $318K |
Top franchise brands
| # | Franchise | Loans | Share | Dollars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Firehouse Subs | 4 | 13.8% | $1.4M | |
| 2 | Zaxby's | 3 | 10.3% | $3.5M | |
| 3 | Culver's | 3 | 10.3% | $1.7M | |
| 4 | Domino's Pizza | 2 | 6.9% | $8.1M | |
| 5 | Moe's Southwest Grill | 1 | 3.4% | $2.7M |
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Questions buyers ask
How much do SBA loans for Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Tennessee run?
The median SBA 7(a) loan was $495,000 across 29 loans (FY2018 to FY2026), with the middle half between $219,500 and $900,000. 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 Tennessee?
Live Oak Banking Company (4), Fifth Third Bank (3), Banc of California (2), North State Bank (2), Stearns Bank National Association (2). Some lenders repeatedly finance this industry in this state; the counts above show which.
How often do Limited-Service Restaurants acquisition loans fail in Tennessee?
Fewer than 20 loans in this combination are old enough to measure losses reliably, so no rate is shown. The national benchmark for all SBA acquisition loans is 3.5% (FY2018 to FY2021 cohort).
Are franchised businesses part of Limited-Service Restaurants acquisitions in Tennessee?
23 of the 29 loans (79%) involved a franchise brand, most often Firehouse Subs (4).
How much do you need down for an SBA loan to buy a fast-food restaurant in Tennessee?
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 Tennessee was $495,000, and the middle half ran $219,500 to $900,000.
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 6 loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Tennessee in FY2025 and FY2026.
Which banks make SBA loans for a fast-food restaurant in Tennessee?
By loan count, FY2018 to FY2026: Live Oak Banking Company (4), Fifth Third Bank (3), Banc of California (2), North State Bank (2), Stearns Bank National Association (2). Live Oak Banking Company made 14% of loans to buy fast-food restaurants in Tennessee. Counts show past approvals only and do not predict whether a lender will approve a particular deal.
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Related
- All Tennessee 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 Florida
- Hotels and Motels in Tennessee
- Full-Service Restaurants in Tennessee
- Insurance Agencies and Brokerages in Tennessee
- All Other Specialty Trade Contractors in Tennessee
- Offices of Certified Public Accountants in Tennessee
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers in Tennessee
- Broilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production in Tennessee
- General Automotive Repair in Tennessee
Small samples move a lot: each loan in this combination is 3% of the count. Industry is the NAICS code the lender recorded. See the methodology.
Cite this data
SBA Acquisition Data, "Limited-Service Restaurants in Tennessee: SBA acquisition loan data", https://sbaacquisitiondata.com/state/tn/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/tn/limited-service-restaurants-722513.json.