Funding for your situation
What a drive-through really costs to build and what funders look for in a food business making the change.
✓ Checking what you qualify for does not affect your credit score.
A drive-through can double throughput on the same staff, and it is also construction, traffic approval and a menu board. It is one of the highest-return additions a food business can make and one of the least predictable in cost. The pieces are separate: the building change, the lane and curb work, and the equipment.
Merchant Fund Express is a funding marketplace: you apply once, and the file is matched to the structure that fits it. The sections below show what this situation usually costs, how a funder reads it, and what to prepare.
Cutting and framing the wall, plus the window and counter.
Site work that depends on the lot.
The technology that makes it function.
Often required for a new curb cut or queue.
| Cost item | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Building modification and window | $28,000 |
| Lane, curb and paving | $38,000 |
| Menu board, speaker and POS | $12,000 |
| Permits and traffic review | $7,500 |
| Crew training and a trial period | $4,500 |
| Cushion for overruns and slow early weeks (about 10%) | $9,000 |
| Drive-through project total | $99,000 |
Sizing check. If the full repayment shown in an offer were $129,000 over about 26 weeks, the weekly debit would be about $4,962. Against illustrative monthly deposits of $100,000 (about $23,077 a week), that is roughly 22% of weekly deposits. Your own offer states the real repayment amount in dollars; run your numbers on the factor rate calculator before you accept anything.
Source: worksheet by Merchant Fund Express. Illustrative only: these figures are not an offer, and real amounts depend on your file and the funder.
These are the same factors described on revenue and deposit requirements and time in business. Merchant Fund Express walks you through how your own file reads before you apply.
A complete file is what makes a same-day decision possible. If something is missing, tell us and we will work around it.
Here is what happens after you apply with Merchant Fund Express: the application is reviewed against the factors on this page, you get a same-day decision on a complete file, and funding is typically the next business day after signing. If something is missing, we say exactly what.
It can. The project has a clear scope and a bid, which helps. See how funders read a restaurant.
A term loan suits a defined project; working capital can cover the training and ramp.
That depends on your volume and ticket. A worked scenario with your numbers is the best way to see it.
The minimum FICO is 500, and better credit means better products and terms. See credit score requirements for how the tiers work.
Merchant Fund Express gives a same-day decision on a complete file. Applying takes a few minutes and will not affect your credit score.
