Restaurant location analysis: the 6-factor checklist

A location analysis is just a systematic way to ask the six questions that decide whether a restaurant site survives, in order of how much they matter, ending in a go/no-go. Run this against any corner in an afternoon — then decide whether it deserves a lawyer.

1. Foot trafficIs there a measured pedestrian count at or near this exact corner — not "nearby," not modelled? What year is it from, and does it cover the hours your concept needs?
2. Transit accessHow many seats per hour of rapid transit serve the block? A subway or LRT stop is worth ten bus stops — count them separately.
3. Market demandWhat are the residents-per-cafe and residents-per-restaurant numbers for this neighbourhood, and which side of the city baseline do they sit on?
4. Competitive clusterAre there healthy peers within 400 m — or is the block empty? (Empty is the warning, not the opportunity.) Are any of them a direct clone of your concept?
5. MomentumIs there approved development within 500 m that adds residents or workers in the next 18–36 months, or is the block static?
6. StabilityWhat has happened at this address and on this block over the last 2–5 years? How many closures, and why?

Two factors that don't make the score — but decide the deal

Zoning. Eligibility for your use class is a binary gate, not a point on the scale. If the corner isn't zoned for food service, nothing else matters — confirm it with the city before you sign, don't take the landlord's word.

Rent. A perfect location at the wrong rent is a bad deal. Run the rent-to-sales ratio on top of this checklist: the best corner in the city is a failure at 15% of sales.

The go / no-go line

Three or more of the six clearly positive, and the rent works in the downside scenario → worth pursuing. Two or fewer positive, or the rent only works in the upside → walk away. The whole point of a checklist is to make walking away feel like winning, because sometimes it is.