Selling to Restaurants

Why would a restaurant buy from a small farm?

Some chefs want ingredients they cannot find from large suppliers, such as particular varieties, small batches or unusually fresh produce. Others want a story for their menu and a farm they can name.

These benefits come with expectations. A chef who builds a dish around your product needs it on the day you promised, in the amount you promised, in the condition you described.

Think about whether your farm is ready. If you already struggle to fill a stand or a CSA box on time, a restaurant account will add pressure, so build reliable habits first.

How do you find and approach buyers?

Start close to home. Eat at places that might fit your products, notice what is on the menu, and ask to speak with the person who orders food, usually at a quiet time between meals.

Bring a short availability list, a few samples if appropriate, and a clear idea of how you deliver. Do not arrive during the lunch or dinner rush.

Some chefs prefer ordering by text, others by email or a weekly call. Ask which they like and use it consistently, because a missed message is the quickest way to lose a standing order.

• Know your product list and approximate availability by week.
• Ask about delivery days, ordering method and who receives deliveries.
• Leave a simple one-page sheet with your contact details.

How do you talk about price?

Price conversations should start from your own costs and the effort of delivery, not from a guess about what a restaurant will pay. Chefs often compare against wholesale suppliers, so know what makes your product different.

Be open to a standing weekly arrangement that gives both sides some predictability. Write down whatever you agree, even in an email.

Remember that chefs often need product in a particular size or stage, such as baby greens or small beets. Ask what they want, and charge for the extra sorting it takes.

What do restaurants expect for delivery and quality?

Expect to deliver on a schedule, with clean containers, accurate counts and a simple invoice. Buyers remember the farm that texts ahead when a crop is short and forget the one that quietly shorts an order.

Sort and pack with care. Product that is dirty, mixed in size or not what was agreed puts the chef in a bind and costs you the account.

Plan your driving. A route that gathers several deliveries into one trip keeps your costs down and gives you a chance to see how each kitchen operates.

What food safety questions should you expect?

Buyers may ask how you wash, cool, store and transport your products, and some will ask whether you follow recognized food safety practices on the farm. Requirements for selling to food businesses vary by state and by what you sell.

Ask your state department of agriculture and your county health department what applies to your products and your buyers. Your extension office may offer food safety training for growers.

Keep a record of each batch, where it was grown and when it was harvested. If a question ever comes up, you can answer it quickly and show that you take the work seriously.

How do you keep the relationship working?

Communicate early about shortages, weather problems and changes. Ask for feedback on quality and quantity, and adjust your plan for the next season.

Do not rely on a single restaurant for most of your income. Restaurants change menus, owners and staff, and a good account can disappear for reasons unrelated to you.

Visit the kitchen once in a while, when invited, to see how your product is used. You will learn what to change in how you grow, cut or pack it.

• Keep a list of several buyers for each product.
• Invoice promptly and keep records.
• Accept that some accounts will end and plan for it.

What should you do before the first delivery?

Confirm in writing what product, size, quantity and price you and the buyer agreed on, along with the day and time of delivery and who receives it. A short email is enough and prevents most misunderstandings.

Do a test run with a small order. This tells you how long packing and driving really take, whether your containers fit the kitchen's space, and whether the buyer's receiving process works with your schedule.

Plan a backup if a delivery is late or short, such as a text message to the chef and an offer to deliver the rest the next day.

• Confirm quantity, size and price in writing.
• Ask who signs for deliveries.
• Do a small test order first.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.