Wheatmead Funding, a small-business funding broker in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, arranges restaurant financing through lending partners: equipment financing for kitchens and walk-in coolers, working capital for payroll, term loans for fit-outs and second locations. Eau Claire County had 263 food service employers in 2023. Partners decide every request.
| Food service employers | 263 in Eau Claire County, WI (CBP 2023) |
|---|---|
| Restaurants and eating places | 193 establishments, 4,043 employees |
| Under five employees | 16.6% of restaurants vs 45.2% of all county employers |
| Food service payroll | About $91.2 million (CBP 2023) |
| No-payroll food businesses | 100 (NES 2024) |
Food service in Eau Claire County, WI
Food services and drinking places had 263 employer establishments in Eau Claire County in 2023, with 4,697 paid employees and about $91.2 million in annual payroll (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Of those, 193 were restaurants and other eating places, employing 4,043 people with about $77.6 million in payroll.
Only 16.6 percent of the county's restaurants had fewer than five employees, against 45.2 percent of all county employers (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Restaurants here tend to be staffed operations, which is why payroll belongs in every restaurant funding plan. A further 100 food service businesses in the county reported no paid employees in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024).
What restaurant owners finance
| Cost | Usual structure | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-in cooler or freezer | Equipment financing | The unit secures the deal |
| Range, hood, fryers, dish machine | Equipment financing or lease | Matches the equipment's working life |
| Dining room or kitchen fit-out | Term loan | One budget, one schedule |
| Payroll while new hours or a new menu build sales | Working capital, or a draw on a line | Short gap, known end |
| Card-heavy sales, irregular weeks | Merchant cash advance (not a loan) | Collection follows sales |
Every structure is explained on the comparison page.
Walk-in cooler and freezer financing
A walk-in is a classic equipment financing case: expensive, long-lived and essential. Partners will want the installer's quote, including the condensing unit, panels and installation, because a cooler that is not installed is worth far less as security. Ask whether installation can be financed with the unit. Equipment financing sets out loans, leases and EFAs side by side.
Our loan calculator with down payment shows how putting money down changes the monthly payment on a kitchen purchase and the total cost, down payment included.
Funding a brand-new restaurant
New restaurants are a hard request for most partners, because there is no sales history to read. Owners who succeed usually bring personal capital, an experienced operator, a signed lease and a realistic budget. Equipment financing secured by the kitchen is often the most reachable piece; working capital usually waits until there are deposits to show.
Our post on opening a restaurant in Eau Claire, WI walks through the budget buckets, the registrations partners check, and the order to do things in.
Payroll is the cost that never pauses
With most county restaurants employing five or more people, wages are the largest recurring outflow. Working capital financing covers a defined gap, such as staffing up before a new menu launches; a line of credit suits gaps that come back. An advance collected from card sales is an option for some, but compare its total collected against a loan's total repaid.
Food service around the Chippewa Valley
In the office ZIP, 54701, accommodation and food services had 169 employer establishments in 2023, with only 18.3 percent under five employees. ZIP 54729 around Chippewa Falls, WI had 102, and ZIP 54751 around Menomonie, WI had 66 (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). The Eau Claire County data page has the wider picture.
Documents a partner pulls together on a kitchen
- Bank statements and card processor statements for recent months.
- The lease, with term and any landlord improvement allowance.
- Equipment quotes with make, model and installation.
- A profit and loss statement showing food, labor and occupancy costs.
- Existing loans, leases and advances.
Four checks before a kitchen equipment contract
- What is the total of all payments, plus any down payment and end-of-term price?
- Is the lien only on this equipment, or on all business assets?
- Who maintains and insures the equipment?
- What happens if the restaurant closes before the agreement ends?
Restaurants are one of four sectors our partners fund; see the sectors page for the others.
By Wheatmead Funding · Updated