How much does it cost to open a restaurant? Realistically that question depends on the type of restaurant that you are planning to open. Depending on the type of restaurant that you are starting purchasing an existing restaurant might work better for you. Banks are not lending money out right now due to the economic scare (also they do not readily lend out money to startups even in good economic times) so unless you have investors financing your endeavor borrowing money might prove an obstacle for you. However, if you go to bizbuysell then you might be able to find the type of restaurant that you want and then get the owner to finance the sell of that business for you.
Owners who are selling a business in this economy understand the banking situation and though they may seem unwilling to do an owner financing deal they realize that their options are limited. If you want to purchase a restaurant check out the 3 questions that you should ask before buying a business first. This will help you avoid some of the mistakes that I made when I purchased my football team. Good luck.