How we picked
Filtered to funders with strong restaurant track records or POS integration (Toast, Square, Clover). Industry-experienced underwriting prioritized over generalist alternatives.
Top picks at a glance
| Lender | Best for | Amount | Speed | Min credit | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clover Capital (Fiserv) | Best for Clover POS restaurants | $500 – $1,000,000 | Funding in 1 – 3 business days | No FICO check — uses Clover sales history | Apply → |
| Credibly | Best non-POS general MCA for restaurants | $5K – $600K | As fast as 4 hours | 550+ | Apply → |
| Greenbox Capital | Best for restaurants with credit dings (down to 500) | $5K – $250K (MCA); other products vary | 24 – 48 hours | Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs | Apply → |
| Live Oak Bank | Best SBA for restaurant expansion/acquisition | $25,000 – $25,000,000+ | 30 – 90 days underwriting (SBA standard) | 680+ typical | Apply → |
| OnDeck | Best fast funding for established restaurants | $5K – $400K (term); $6K – $200K (LOC) | Same-day for approved files | 600+ | Apply → |
| Beacon Funding | Best for restaurant equipment (food trucks, kitchen gear) | $5,000 – $1,000,000 | Funding in 1 – 5 business days | 550+ | Apply → |
Advertiser disclosure: Fundnode may earn referral fees from funders listed on this page when you apply through us. This does not affect editorial rankings — see our methodology.
Detailed reviews — our 8 picks
#3 · Best for Clover POS restaurants
Clover Capital (Fiserv)
Max amount
$1,000,000
Cost
Single fixed fee disclosed at offer (10 – 16%)
Speed
Funding in 1 – 3 business days
Min credit
No FICO check — uses Clover sales history
Why we picked it
Embedded in Clover (Fiserv) dashboard. Single fee. Lesser-known than Toast/Square but same model — good for Clover-equipped restaurants.
The strength
Embedded in Clover dashboard (Fiserv-owned POS platform). Single fee structure like Square Capital. Repayment as percentage of daily Clover card sales. Strong fit for Clover-equipped restaurants, retail, salons.
The watch-out
Only available to Clover POS merchants. Eligibility controlled by Clover/Fiserv — can't apply. Less brand recognition than Toast Capital or Square Capital.
Qualifications
6 months
Clover processing volume drives offers
No FICO check — uses Clover sales history
#4 · Best non-POS general MCA for restaurants
Credibly
Max amount
$600K
Cost
Factor 1.11+ (MCA)
Speed
As fast as 4 hours
Min credit
550+
Why we picked it
Strong restaurant track record outside POS-embedded options. Multi-product (MCA + LOC + term). 550+ credit, 6+ months TIB.
The strength
March 2026 API V2 + Cloudsquare integration — most modern submission UX in MCA. $3B+ deployed, 60K+ SMBs. Publishes factor rates honestly (starting 1.11 for A-paper).
The watch-out
The 1.11 headline is the A-paper floor; average factor is closer to 1.32. ISO commission terms aren't public.
Qualifications
6 months
$15,000
550+
#5 · Best for restaurants with credit dings (down to 500)
Greenbox Capital
Max amount
$250K (MCA); other products vary
Cost
Factor varies
Speed
24 – 48 hours
Min credit
Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs
Why we picked it
Lowest credit floor among generalist MCAs that fund restaurants. Industry-flexible. ISO commission caps published.
The strength
Five products under one roof: MCA, invoice factoring, equipment financing, collateral loans, LOC. White-label contracts let brokers run the deal under their own brand. Priority 1 status for new ISOs.
The watch-out
$250K MCA cap is below competitors. Marketing tilts broker-friendly more than merchant-transparent.
Qualifications
6 months
$15,000
Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs
#6 · Best SBA for restaurant expansion/acquisition
Live Oak Bank
Max amount
$25,000,000+
Cost
SBA 7(a) APR prime + 2.75% to 4.75%
Speed
30 – 90 days underwriting (SBA standard)
Min credit
680+ typical
Why we picked it
#1 SBA 7(a) lender. Restaurant verticals: full-service, fast-casual, multi-unit. 30-90 days but SBA rates (prime + 2.75%-4.75%) much cheaper than MCA.
The strength
Largest SBA 7(a) lender in the US by dollar volume for 7+ consecutive years. Industry-specialty teams (veterinary, dental, funeral homes, self-storage, agriculture, hotels). Deep understanding of niche-vertical underwriting. Dramatically cheaper than MCA for qualifying merchants.
The watch-out
Long underwriting timeline (45-90 days typical). Requires strong credit (680+), 2+ years operating, clean financials. Industries outside their specialty get less attention.
Qualifications
24 months
$20,000+
680+ typical
#7 · Best fast funding for established restaurants
OnDeck
Max amount
$400K (term); $6K
Cost
Term APR 27%+
Speed
Same-day for approved files
Min credit
600+
Why we picked it
12+ month TIB, $8K+/mo revenue. Same-day funding for approved files. Best for established restaurants needing bridge capital.
The strength
Direct-lender brand trust. Same-day funding on approved files. Term loan product fills the gap between SBA and MCA.
The watch-out
Their broker/ISO program has a high entry bar (2+ years, $1M+/mo volume). Most merchants access OnDeck directly, not via brokers.
Qualifications
12 months
$8,000
600+
#8 · Best for restaurant equipment (food trucks, kitchen gear)
Beacon Funding
Max amount
$1,000,000
Cost
APR 8 – 25%
Speed
Funding in 1 – 5 business days
Min credit
550+
Why we picked it
Specialty equipment financing — will fund food trucks, kitchen equipment, point-of-sale, dining furniture. Section 179 friendly.
The strength
Equipment financing with broader industry acceptance than larger competitors. Will fund specialty equipment (food trucks, photography gear, fitness equipment, salon equipment). Lower credit threshold (550+).
The watch-out
Higher rates than bank equipment financing for prime credit. Smaller deal cap. Industry specialization can mean less depth in any single vertical.
Qualifications
12 months
$10,000+
550+
Frequently asked questions
- What's the best loan for a restaurant?
- For Toast/Square/Clover-equipped restaurants: POS-embedded financing is fastest and simplest (no FICO check, repayment scales with revenue). For non-POS restaurants: Credibly or Greenbox for working capital, Live Oak Bank for SBA-rate expansion capital, Beacon Funding for equipment.
- Can I get funding for a new restaurant?
- Pre-revenue: Kiva microloans ($1K-$15K, 0% interest) or SBA microloan via CDFI. Open less than 12 months: Giggle Finance, AdvancePoint Capital, processor-embedded if you have card volume. Open 12+ months: most MCA options.
- How do restaurant MCAs handle seasonality?
- Best funders (Toast Capital, Square Capital) use percentage-of-sales repayment, which naturally scales down in slow seasons. MCA factor-rate products with daily fixed ACH don't scale — verify reconciliation policy before signing if your business is seasonal.
- Is an SBA loan better than an MCA for restaurants?
- Almost always if you qualify (24+ months operating, 680+ credit, clean financials). SBA APR 9.75% vs MCA factor 1.30 = $300K loan costs $30K/year SBA vs $108K/year MCA. The 30-90 day wait is worth $78K in savings.
Related reading
Methodology. Rankings on Fundnode are editorial — we filter our database of 100 funders against the specific use case for this page, then rank by qualifying criteria (transparency, speed, contract terms, customer experience signals). We earn referral fees from some funders when merchants apply via Fundnode; ranking is independent of fee structure. Updated 2026-06-24.