Jonathan Maze

Editor-in-Chief

Articles by
Jonathan Maze

Page 36
Financing

How Subway's sale will affect the sandwich market

A Deeper Dive: Michael Goldberg, CEO of Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, joins the podcast to talk about his chain’s growth strategy, including its use of second-generation restaurants, including closed Subways.

Financing

These are the restaurant chains that closed the most locations in 2022

Papa Murphy’s, Baskin-Robbins and Burger King are among the chains that closed the most net restaurants last year. But one big chain stands out.

The Bottom Line: Consumers could easily shift into value mode as they start repaying student loans and run out of pandemic cash. But that doesn’t mean you should start slashing prices.

The burger chain is planning a “strategic refranchising program,” refranchising restaurants in certain markets to operators that then build more locations.

The former Kitchen United chief executive will become the first CEO in in the Pasadena, Calif.-based chain’s history.

The Bottom Line: The 22-year-old private equity firm has been involved in many of the industry’s biggest deals, especially in recent years. And Subway isn’t even the biggest.

The Bottom Line: The lengthy sale process and the apparent deal terms in Roark Capital’s winning bid reveal just how difficult a turnaround the sandwich giant is.

The private equity firm, which owns Inspire Brands and Focus Brands among other restaurant companies, won an eight-month auction for the sandwich giant.

The Bottom Line: Veggie Grill, O’Charley’s, Burger King, Boston Market, Steak n Shake and others have been closing doors this year as they work through various challenges.

The sandwich giant finished last in an analysis of fast-food chains’ online reputation. At the top: Chick-fil-A.

A Deeper Dive: RB Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo joins me on the podcast to talk about some of the more colorful events in the restaurant industry’s history.

Subway appears to be on the verge of completing the third-largest chain acquisition by value in history. Here are a look at the 10 biggest, at least until that one is complete.

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