Restaurant & Cafes

Running a restaurant or cafe means juggling legal details that most small businesses never have to think about. The rules around hospitality leases, fit-outs and employment are uniquely strict - and missing a step early on can leave you facing costs or delays that eat straight into your margins. Unlike a typical retail business, you don’t just need a space - you need the right approvals for kitchen equipment, clear access for deliveries, and the ability to adapt your space as your menu evolves.

When you’re negotiating a property, the fine print of your lease can determine whether you can actually run your venue as planned. A Commercial Lease Review will flag restrictions that could block your fit-out or limit trading hours, while Drafting a Commercial Lease with your landlord ensures your rights are on paper from the start. Staff are your backbone, but hospitality awards are complex - getting Award Compliance wrong can mean costly backpay claims or Fair Work disputes. Even before you open, an Agreement for Lease Review can help you avoid being locked into a site you can’t use as planned.

Legal issues shouldn’t be the thing that holds you back from launching or running your venue smoothly. Sprintlaw’s team works with hospitality businesses every day, making it straightforward to get your lease, staff contracts and compliance sorted - so you can focus on the food and service your customers love. Whether it’s reviewing contracts or setting up Employment Contract Packages for your team, we’re here to help you set strong foundations from the start.