What I am trying to better understand is at what pointy that restaurant owner able to either delegate or reposition so he / she doesn’t have to the restaurant every day. do they need to obtain more restaurants or keep offering more to their current customers?

Quote from @Alecia Loveless: Something is better than nothing, but I would offer more like $250 or 1/4 of a month's rent.

See what other controls they offer.  

Examples might include areas in the Midwest, Southeast, or Sunbelt regions.Multifamily Properties: Consider duplexes, triplexes, or small apartment buildings to increase unit count and spread risk across multiple tenants.Short-Term Rentals: If you’re comfortable with the management requirements, STRs in vacation or business travel markets can offer significantly higher cash flow potential than traditional rentals.Value-Add Properties: Look for opportunities to buy undervalued properties where you can force appreciation through renovations or better management.Decision FrameworkRun the Numbers: Compare the projected cash flow, equity growth, and tax implications of selling versus holding with a refinance or HELOC.

Owners mistakenly ASSUME all PMCs offer the exact SAME SERVICES and PERFORM those services EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, so price is the only differentiator – so, they often select the first PMC they call or that calls them back!

Offer to buy them a few indoor portable heaters until you find a solution. 

Most brokerages offer zero-fee referral status, so you can still do referral business.

I suggest submitting offers where the numbers work today.

For further context, we are trying to have him be the name on the loan because he would be able to utilize his first time home buyer loan to take advantage of the lowered offered interest rate.

MLS, Made an offer I couldn't refuse How did you finance this deal?