773-536-9272Book an appointment
Start a restaurant

Open your restaurant.Leave the paperwork to our office.

Our office forms your restaurant company in any state, gets the EIN, runs payroll with tip reporting and keeps your books, and our agency insures the kitchen, the dining room and your staff.

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Reviewed by Orkun Ozkaymak, CPA, MBAClients in all 50 states and abroad

$500company setup, EIN included
50 + DCstates we form companies in
1 officeformation, taxes and insurance
2011preparing taxes since
Step by step

How to open a restaurant

  1. 1

    Form the company and get an EIN

    Our office forms your LLC or corporation in the state where you open and gets the EIN before you sign the lease, so the lease, bank account and licenses are in the company name.

  2. 2

    Register for sales tax

    Register with your state's revenue department before you open. Prepared food is taxable in most states, and some cities and counties add their own restaurant or meals tax.

  3. 3

    Get food and health approvals

    Your city or county health department issues the food service permit after a plan review and inspection. Most places also need zoning approval and a certified food protection manager on staff.

  4. 4

    Apply for a liquor license

    Alcohol needs both state and local approval. Depending on your state, you apply to the local liquor authority, the state liquor agency, or both. Some areas cap the number of licenses.

  5. 5

    Insure the business and run payroll

    Our agency quotes property, general liability, liquor liability and workers' compensation. Our office runs payroll with tip reporting and keeps your books in QuickBooks Online.

Filings and prices

What our office files for you.Prices shown before you send.

Pick what you need on the request form. Ozfield's fees are shown here; government fees are passed through at cost.

  • Illinois sales tax registration and resale certificate IllinoisRegisters the company with the Illinois Department of Revenue.
    $250
  • Food service and health permit help Illinois
    Quoted by our office
  • Liquor license help IllinoisState and local liquor licenses.
    Quoted by our office
  • City of Chicago business license IllinoisThe city fee is $500 or $1,000 for 2 years depending on the license type, paid to the city.
    $179
  • Payroll and state unemployment setupPayroll accounts, state unemployment registration and your first payroll.
    Quoted by our office
Company setup is $500 plus the state fee, EIN included.
The request form adds your filings and shows the full estimate as you go.
Build my estimate
Insurance from the same office

Coverage in place on day one.Quoted by our agency.

Check the coverage you want on the request form and our insurance team sends quotes from multiple carriers. Nothing is bound without your OK.

Start my restaurantGet a quote only
  • General liability
  • Liquor liability
  • Property
  • Workers' compensation
  • Food spoilage
After you open

The filings that come every year.

Our office keeps these on your calendar so nothing is missed. How we work with restaurants →

Illinois sales tax

20th of each month. Form ST-1 plus local restaurant taxes where they apply.

Form 941 and state payroll

Quarterly. Including reported tips.

Form 8027

March 31 (e-file). Tip income report for larger food and beverage employers.

Form 8846

With your return. Credit for employer FICA paid on tips.

Questions

What new owners ask us.

Something else on your mind? Call 773-536-9272 and our office will help, in English or Turkish.

What licenses do I need to open a restaurant?
Most restaurants need a city or county business license, a food service permit from the local health department after inspection, zoning and building approvals, and state sales tax registration. Many places require a certified food protection manager on staff. Serving alcohol adds state and local liquor licenses. Our office forms the company and gets the EIN every application asks for.
How do I get a liquor license for a restaurant?
Liquor licensing is set by each state. Many states issue licenses through a state agency with local approval, while others start with the city or county. Some areas cap the number of licenses, which can make them costly to obtain. Many states also require server training and dram shop liability coverage. Our agency quotes the liquor liability.
Do restaurants charge sales tax on food?
In most states, yes. Prepared food and drinks sold by restaurants are usually taxed at the full state and local rate, even where grocery food is taxed lower or exempt. Some cities and counties add a separate restaurant or meals tax. Register with your state before you open and set the correct rates in your point of sale system.
What insurance does a new restaurant need?
Most restaurants carry property coverage for equipment and inventory, general liability, liquor liability if you serve alcohol, and workers' compensation, which most states require once you hire. Your landlord will usually ask for a certificate before you open. Our agency quotes these together and issues the certificates your lease requires.

Ready to start your restaurant?

Answer a few questions, see your estimate and send it to our office.

Start my restaurant773-536-9272