Mesaside Advances, a small-business funding broker in Cheyenne, Wyoming, helps Laramie County restaurants compare equipment financing, term loans, working capital and lines of credit, and sets merchant cash advances, which are not loans, beside them. The county had 164 restaurants and other eating places with paid employees in 2023 (Census). Lending partners make credit decisions and set rates and terms.
| Typical needs | Kitchen equipment, POS systems, build-outs, payroll and food costs |
|---|---|
| Types discussed | Equipment financing, term loan, working capital, line of credit |
| Laramie County restaurants | 164 employer establishments with 3,343 paid employees in 2023 (Census CBP 2023) |
| Small restaurants | 22.0 percent had fewer than five employees (same source) |
| MCA | Not a loan; compare its total cost before deciding |
| Office | 1900 Thomes Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001 · (307) 368-2257 |
Laramie County restaurants in the numbers
Laramie County had 164 restaurants and other eating places with paid employees in 2023, employing 3,343 people in the March pay period and paying $72.9 million in annual payroll (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Counting bars, caterers and other food services, the broader food services and drinking places group had 201 employer establishments and 3,662 paid employees.
Unlike most local sectors, restaurants are rarely tiny. Only 36 of the 164, or 22.0 percent, had fewer than five employees, against 62.6 percent of all employers in the county (same source). On average that is about 20 people per restaurant, so payroll is the cost that never pauses. A further 28 restaurants and 133 food service businesses ran with no paid employees in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024), a separate count that should not be added to the employer figures.
Kitchen equipment: walk-in coolers, ranges and hoods
Most restaurant equipment is financed with equipment loans or leases secured by the equipment itself. A walk-in cooler, a hood and fire-suppression system, a combi oven or a dish machine each has a quote and a useful life, and the term should not outlast it. Used kitchen equipment can be financed too, though partners look harder at age and condition.
Leases suit equipment that dates or wears quickly; loans and equipment finance agreements suit equipment you plan to keep for its whole life.
POS system financing
Point-of-sale hardware and software is often leased or bundled into a vendor's payment plan. Before signing, check whether the agreement ties you to a particular card processor, what happens when the term ends, and whether the software subscription continues separately. A POS system bought outright can be part of a wider equipment or term loan.
Restaurant working capital and lines of credit
Payroll and food are bought before the week's sales arrive, and a slow stretch or a large catering order can stretch the gap. A working capital loan covers one defined gap; a line of credit covers gaps that recur at different sizes. Partners review bank deposits closely, since restaurant revenue shows up there daily.
How to fund a new restaurant
A new restaurant has no sales history, which is the first thing most partners review, so options are narrower. Owners commonly combine their own investment with equipment financing, since the equipment secures it, and a term loan where a partner will consider projections and the owner's credit. Arrive with a budget for the build-out, equipment quotes, a lease, and a realistic plan for the first months. SBA programs are another route; Mesaside Advances is not an SBA lender.
Merchant cash advances and restaurants
Restaurants are frequently offered merchant cash advances, because card sales are steady and visible. A merchant cash advance is not a loan: the funder buys part of future card receipts and collects a share of each day's sales or a fixed debit. With weekly payroll already the largest fixed cost, add up what daily remittances would take out of a slow week before signing, and compare the total with equipment financing or a line of credit for the same need.
Build-outs, remodels and a second location
A new dining room, a patio, a kitchen rebuild or a second location combines construction, fixtures and equipment. The fixed parts, such as walls, plumbing and electrical work, are usually funded with a term loan, and the movable equipment separately with equipment financing, so each piece is paid off over a sensible period. Partners will want the landlord's approval and lease terms, contractor bids and an estimate of how long the work keeps the doors closed, since lost weeks of sales are part of the real cost.
What partners commonly ask restaurants for
- Recent business bank statements and card processing statements
- The lease for the location
- Equipment quotes or build-out budgets
- Business tax returns and year-to-date profit and loss for larger requests
- Details of any existing advances or equipment leases
Before you sign anything
- Total every payment on every agreement you already carry, including equipment leases and any advance
- Check whether new funding is barred by an existing advance or loan
- Match equipment terms to the equipment's useful life
- Read the default and personal guarantee sections in full
How Mesaside Advances works with restaurants
We help you separate equipment needs from cash-flow needs, compare any advance offer in total dollars, and send the request to partners that fund food service. County figures are on our Cheyenne, WY page, and other sectors are on the industries page.
By Mesaside Advances · Updated
