Included Scope
Interior fit-out, dining area, kitchen MEP, washrooms, service counter, basic signage coordination, drive-thru work where applicable, permit coordination, and standard sitework.
What it costs to build a quick-service restaurant or franchise food-service location in the Greater Toronto Area, anchored in Q4 2025 benchmark data. This guide covers franchise build standards, kitchen MEP scope, drive-thru and order point costs, schedule premiums, and the cost drivers that move the budget for new builds versus tenant fit-outs.
Class D conceptual range for feasibility planning. Not a quotation, tender, financing basis, or contract value.
Run a QSR Estimate Back to Cost GuidesThis guide is for Class D conceptual planning, where the expected accuracy band is roughly +/-20-30% under AACE 18R-97. It is useful before full drawings, equipment schedules, trade pricing, or landlord approvals are complete.
Interior fit-out, dining area, kitchen MEP, washrooms, service counter, basic signage coordination, drive-thru work where applicable, permit coordination, and standard sitework.
Land, franchise fees, financing, owner business costs, full equipment procurement, food inventory, POS subscriptions, brand licensing, and operating costs after opening.
Franchise feasibility, landlord allowance review, site comparison, new-build versus fit-out decisions, rollout budgeting, and deciding whether a detailed estimate is needed.
C$150-350 per square foot in the GTA, with secondary Ontario markets commonly around C$130-300 per square foot.
This covers typical quick-service restaurant construction or fit-out where speed, repeatable brand standards, and kitchen MEP drive the budget.
C$250-500 per square foot in the GTA, with secondary Ontario markets commonly around C$210-430 per square foot.
Casual dining usually carries more seating, longer cook lines, more washroom and dining area scope, and stronger decor expectations than QSR.
C$350-700 per square foot in the GTA, with secondary Ontario markets commonly around C$300-600 per square foot.
Fine dining costs rise through custom millwork, high-end finishes, specialty lighting, bar infrastructure, kitchen complexity, and guest-facing brand experience.
A 2,500 sq ft QSR fit-out at the midpoint of the benchmark band can sit around the C$0.6M-C$0.9M hard-cost zone before equipment package, signage, franchise-specific decor, HST, and owner-side costs.
A QSR kitchen equipment package can run C$100,000-C$300,000+ depending on concept, refrigeration, fryer line, ovens, prep equipment, beverage systems, and brand standards.
Exterior signage, menu boards, brand finishes, service counter package, seating, graphics, lighting, and franchise-specific materials can materially affect the final project cost.
Total project cost including FF&E and equipment often runs roughly 30-50% above hard cost for QSR, before land, financing, franchise fees, and business operating costs.
Exhaust hoods, fire suppression, grease interceptors, gas service upgrades, refrigeration, fryer lines, make-up air, plumbing, and electrical loads can make kitchen scope 30-45% of QSR hard cost.
Drive-thru lanes, menu boards, canopies, order points, queuing pavement, curbs, pedestrian protection, and mobile-order pickup lanes can add major site and electrical scope.
Major QSR brands publish detailed standards for finishes, lighting, signage, kitchen equipment, furniture, counters, millwork, and customer experience. Brand-mandated upgrades can add 8-15% over commodity equivalents.
QSR openings are often tied to franchise commitments, lease dates, and marketing launches. Accelerated 90-120 day construction windows can add overtime, weekend work, and sequencing premium.
A standalone restaurant on an owned or leased pad may include building shell, sitework, parking, drive-thru lane, utilities, signage, landscaping, curbs, stormwater, and exterior lighting.
A typical 2,500-3,500 sq ft QSR can move into the C$1.5M-C$4M+ total project range depending on land, servicing, and sitework scope.
In a fit-out, the base building shell, parking field, major exterior envelope, and much of the site infrastructure already exist.
The budget narrows to interior fit-out, kitchen MEP, signage, landlord requirements, and required base building upgrades. Typical total project budgets can sit around C$0.6M-C$1.4M before unusual scope.
Food-service work is usually straightforward when planned early, but health review, TSSA scope, landlord review, and signage approvals can affect schedule.
Tenant fit-out within an existing OBC Part 3 building is common, but new partitions, washrooms, kitchen layout, mechanical changes, and life-safety modifications still require coordinated drawings.
Toronto Public Health, Peel, York, Halton, or the applicable local public health unit may review kitchen layout, food preparation flow, handwashing, finishes, equipment, and inspection requirements.
Gas service, fryer hoods, boilers, certain cooking equipment, and pressurized systems may require TSSA plan review, inspection, or coordination with licensed trades.
Exterior signage, illuminated signs, drive-thru boards, facade changes, and branded storefront elements often require landlord approval and separate sign permits.
For QSR and restaurant work, the construction budget is tightly connected to equipment selections, franchise standards, utility capacity, landlord conditions, public health review, signage approvals, and opening schedule. A Class D range is useful for early feasibility, but a detailed estimate should confirm equipment, MEP, permit, and turnover assumptions before commitments are made.
Request a Detailed EstimateFor Q4 2025, a QSR benchmark is about C$150-350 per square foot in the GTA before full equipment, signage, FF&E, HST, franchise fees, land, and owner-side operating costs.
Casual dining usually costs more than QSR because it carries more dining area scope, more customer-facing finish, longer cook lines, bar or service infrastructure, and more complex guest experience requirements.
Most QSR projects need building permit review, public health plan review, landlord approval, signage approval, and sometimes TSSA review for gas, fryer, hood, or pressurized cooking equipment scope.
Use the calculator for a Class D feasibility range. If you are comparing sites, franchise standards, kitchen packages, or opening timelines, move into a detailed estimate inquiry.
Run the Calculator Request a Detailed EstimateClass D conceptual estimate per AACE International Recommended Practice 18R-97. Not a quotation. Not a basis for financing or contract value. Material decisions require qualified engineering and quantity-surveying review. Q4 2025 benchmarks include public and industry cost references used for early planning context.