Beer Tap Line Cleaning Route
Bars are legally required to call you every two weeks
Bottom line
Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.
Beer tap lines must be professionally cleaned every 14 days by law in most US states — bacteria and yeast buildup in lines ruins the taste and can sicken customers. A line cleaning technician services bars and restaurants on a strict biweekly schedule, flushing lines with caustic solution, rinsing, and certifying the system. At $10–$20 per tap line per cleaning, a bar with 12 taps pays $120–$240 every two weeks — $3,120–$6,240 per year on autopilot. Build a route of 30 bars and you have $100K+ in contracted annual revenue.
Avg Revenue
$150K
Profit Margin
52%
Acquisition Multiple
1.75x - 3x
Startup Cost
$8K - $25K
How It Works
Every 14 days you arrive at a bar or restaurant with a hand truck carrying cleaning chemicals (caustic line cleaner), hand pumps, and a recirculation system. You disconnect each tap from the keg, run cleaning solution through the lines for 15–20 minutes, flush with water, and reconnect. The job takes 1–2 hours for a typical 8–12-tap bar. Repeat for every account on your route. Certifications (Brewers Association Draught Beer Quality certification or equivalent) add credibility and justify higher rates.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Watch / verify
Beer Tap Line Cleaning Route has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.
Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.
Weak source data caps the final score.
Why it may work
- +Attractive 52% estimated margin profile
- +SBA dataset shows 67 recent comparable loans
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !No category operating model yet
- !No category model yet
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 561790 · Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | TX | $350K | $412K |
| Mar 2026 | NJ | $1.2M | $1.4M |
| Feb 2026 | LA | $402K | $473K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $55K | $65K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $615K | $723K |
| Feb 2026 | FL | $50K | $59K |
| Jan 2026 | TX | $270K | $318K |
| Jan 2026 | KS | $171K | $201K |
| Jan 2026 | FL | $650K | $765K |
| Jan 2026 | KS | $211K | $248K |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.
Pros
- +Legally mandated service — customers don't cancel, they're required to continue
- +Recurring every 14 days like clockwork — the most reliable route cadence possible
- +Low competition: technicians are scarce; most bars desperately want a reliable cleaner
- +High perceived value — bad beer lines cost bars thousands in wasted product nightly
Cons
- -Night and weekend work — bars are busy weekdays, you often clean late afternoon/early morning
- -Chemical handling requires care; some health and safety certification required
- -Route density matters — spread-out accounts kill efficiency and margin
Best For
Route business operators who want high-frequency recurring revenue with zero marketing after route is built
Operating Costs
Primary costs are cleaning chemicals (~$1–$2/cleaning), van fuel, and optional assistant labor. Solo operator with a 30-bar route can net $60K–$90K working 3–4 days per week. Equipment (recirculator, pumps, hoses) runs $3,000–$8,000 upfront.
SBA Financing Estimator
Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service
Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.
Where to Buy
Beer line cleaning routes occasionally sell on BizBuySell under food service businesses
Industry software and resources for professional draft beer line cleaning businesses
Industry certification and standards for draught beer line cleaning professionals
Acquisition Score
Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.
Quick Facts
- Category
- route
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Buy price
- $263K–$450K
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
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Largest business-for-sale marketplace in the US
SBA loans and business acquisition financing — get funded fast
ROBS financing — use retirement funds to buy a business tax-free
Bookkeeping for small business owners — hands-off financials
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