> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.maple.inc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add a restaurant

> Create a new merchant, or add another location to a merchant you already have.

There are two ways to add a restaurant. Pick the one that matches the business.

| You want to add                                   | Use                     |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| A new restaurant business that isn’t in Maple yet | **New Merchant**        |
| Another site for a business already in Maple      | **Create new location** |

## Add a new merchant

Use this when you sign a new restaurant business. The restaurant owner gets an email invite and finishes their own account setup.

1. ### Open the Merchants page

   Log in at [app.maple.inc](https://app.maple.inc) at the organization level and open **Merchants**.

2. ### Click New Merchant

   Enter the merchant name and the owner’s email, name, and phone number.

3. ### Send the invite

   Maple creates the merchant with a first location and emails the owner. The first location is created as a placeholder, which setup fills in.

4. ### The owner signs up

   The owner follows the email, creates their login, and completes the [onboarding](https://docs.maple.inc/onboarding.md) steps for the first location.

Each merchant has one owner. Use the restaurant owner’s email, not a shared partner address, so the owner keeps control of their account.

## Add a location to an existing merchant

Use this when a restaurant business opens or adds another site.

1. ### Switch into the merchant

   Pick the merchant from the switcher at the top of the sidebar.

2. ### Choose Create new location

   In the location switcher dropdown, choose **Create new location**. The Create New Location window opens. It guides you through:

   - **Legal entity**: choose which company this location belongs to. This step shows only when the merchant already has at least one legal entity.
   - **Location details**: the location’s name and phone number.
   - **Plan**: choose the plan for this location. This step is skipped when billing is arranged through Maple. Maple can prefill a location manager invite on request.
   - **Review and confirm**.

3. ### Set up the location

   Continue with the [location setup checklist](https://docs.maple.inc/partners/location-setup.md).

You need admin access on the merchant to create a location.

## One merchant or several?

Create **separate merchants** when restaurants have different owners or are different brands. Each merchant has its own owner, users, and legal entity.

Add **locations to one merchant** when they are sites of the same business and the same owner runs them.

A location can’t be moved to another merchant later, so decide before you create it.

## Invite people to a location

To give a manager or staff member access to a single location, open the location’s settings and go to **Users & Invites**. Roles are Owner, Admin, Manager, and Staff. See [How Maple is organized](https://docs.maple.inc/partners/overview.md#who-can-do-what).