True cost — by format
Worked anchor for the whole dataset: Toast all-in opening cost $200-$500/sq ft, median $350, median total $375,500 for a ~4,000 sq ft restaurant. Construction-only sources are higher (Bhumi full-service $300-$550/sq ft) — see wide-band note in report. Kitchen equipment $75,000-$115,000 in POS USA line-by-line table; $50,000-$150,000 in Resy/Chowbus.
| Line | Range |
|---|---|
| Typical size | 3,000–5,500 sq ft |
| Build-out (new build) | $300–$500 per sq ft |
| Equipment package | $75,000–$150,000 |
| Opening inventory | $10,000–$30,000 |
| Worked example — build-out at 4,250 sq ft | $1,275,000–$2,125,000 |
These ranges are the shell. Your real total adds the lines only a dataset can fill: your state's permit fees, your team's certificates, your liquor path and the dead rent while it processes. That is exactly what the calculator does.
Don't read the table — run your verdict. Your state + this format + your space and liquor plan — one labeled total.
Included in the $49 Opening Pack: the filled templates, trackers, calendars and worksheets for this door — built from the same dated datasets as the free checker above.
Sources: Toast — How Much Does It Cost to Open a Small Restaurant; POS USA — How Much Does It Cost to Open a Restaurant?; Bhumi Calculator 2026, 2026-06-11 — researched range, labeled as such; regulated lines come from the datasets. Dataset checked October 23, 2026. Where a fee or rule is set by a county or city, this page says so instead of guessing a number.