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SolutionRestaurants have more required filings than almost any other business: food service, liquor, music, sidewalk seating, health department, plus standard entity compliance.
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For restaurants and food service
Built for Restaurants · all 51 jurisdictions

Open the doors. We chase the paperwork.

Restaurants need an LLC, an EIN, food service permits, liquor licensing (where applicable), health department registration, city business licenses, sales tax registration, tipped-employee payroll, and a working POS. We handle the back-of-house paperwork so you can focus on the kitchen and the customers.

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8,400+
Restaurants formed
10+
Avg permits per opening
Tipped
Payroll handled
A+
BBB rated
Why restaurants pick File.Business

Built around how restaurants actually operate.

Three things you will not get from a generic formation site.

01

License lookup, city + state

Health, alcohol, sales tax permits surfaced as soon as you pick a city.

02

EIN + payroll-ready in days

Same-day SS-4 filing so you can run W-2s the week you open.

03

Multi-location foreign qualification

Open a second location across state lines without losing compliance status.

How we set you up

From entity to opening night.

01
Entity + EIN

Form the LLC, get the EIN, file BOI. Register with the state as a food service business.

Week 1
02
City + county licenses

Map every required permit: city business license, county health permit, state food handler certification, music/entertainment, signage.

Week 1
03
Liquor licensing

If serving alcohol, the ABC application is the long pole. We handle the documentation; some require background checks and posting.

Weeks 2-4
04
Sales tax + meals tax

Register for state sales tax permit. Many cities and states also have a separate meals/prepared-foods tax.

Week 3
05
Payroll + tipped employees

Set up payroll with tip reporting, multiple hourly rates, and FICA tip credit tracking.

Week 4
06
Health + renewals

Health department inspections tracked, ABC license renewals, annual reports, payroll taxes filed.

Ongoing
In their own words

How customers like you use the platform.

"Between food service, liquor, music, and the city business license, I would have missed at least two. File.Business caught all six."
MR
Maria ReyesOwner, La Casita Taqueria (Austin, TX)
"NYC has a uniquely complicated stack of licenses. They walked us through every one, plus the sidewalk seating permit."
JP
James PakCo-founder, Pak Burger (Brooklyn, NY)
"Tipped payroll alone is worth the platform. Tip reporting was a monthly headache; now it just happens."
AK
Aisha KhanOwner, Linden Tea House (Portland, OR)
FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

How many licenses does a restaurant need?
Typically 6 to 10 in your first city. A typical stack: state food service permit, county health permit, city business license, fire department inspection, sales tax permit, employer registrations, and (if serving alcohol) ABC liquor license + alcohol awareness certs.
How long does liquor licensing take?
Varies wildly by state and county. 30 to 120 days is common. Some cities also require public notice and a hearing.
What is the FICA tip credit?
A federal credit against employer FICA tax for tips earned by employees. Worth thousands of dollars per year for restaurants with tipped staff. Many restaurants miss it; our payroll captures it automatically.
Meals tax vs sales tax?
In some states (Massachusetts, Virginia, others), prepared food is taxed at a different rate from general sales tax, sometimes by the city. We register for the right ones.
Can I form a single LLC for multiple locations?
You can, but most restaurateurs put each location in its own LLC for liability isolation. Same EIN structure, separate state filings.
Do I need workers comp on day one?
Yes in every state, the moment you hire your first W-2 employee. We coordinate with insurance partners.
What about catering or food trucks?
Food trucks need additional licensing (mobile food unit permit, commissary registration). Catering may require a separate caterer permit. We map both.
Multi-state expansion?
Foreign qualification in each state, plus new state-level food and liquor permits. We coordinate.
What if I franchise?
Each franchisee typically forms their own LLC and files their own permits. We support franchisees as a separate business type.

Start your restaurant LLC.

Tell us a few details. We do the rest. You get a single dashboard for everything.

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