The Bottom Line

Jonathan Maze The Bottom Line

Restaurant Business Executive Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze is a longtime industry journalist who writes about restaurant finance, mergers and acquisitions and the economy, with a particular focus on quick-service restaurants. He writes daily about the factors influencing the operating environment, including labor and food costs and various industry trends such as technology and delivery.

Jonathan has been widely quoted in media publications such as the New York Times and the Washington Post and has appeared on CNBC, Yahoo Finance and NPR. He writes a weekly finance-focused newsletter for Restaurant Business, The Bottom Line, and is the host of the weekly podcast “A Deeper Dive.”

Financing

Subway and the shadow of the $5 Footlong

The Bottom Line: The marketing campaign was one of the most successful in restaurant industry history. But that promotion is stuck in consumers’ memory, making its offers more difficult.

Financing

Starbucks opts for experience over culture

The Bottom Line: In hiring Brian Niccol, the coffee shop giant opted to bring in an experienced hand, rather than focus purely on culture.

The Bottom Line: Restaurant companies need to get consumers back in the doors. That could require lower margins, even if investors don’t like it.

The Bottom Line: When Starbucks announced its hiring of the Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO to lead the company, investors poured money into the coffee brand—and hammered the burrito chain’s stock.

The Bottom Line: Restaurant executives have talked frequently about the “challenging” or “tough” macro environment so far this earnings season. They have good reason.

The Bottom Line: The year is filled with some odd results, with companies trading share, fast food considered a luxury and otherworldly results at wing chains.

The Bottom Line: The company’s flagship brand is struggling in its domestic market as it loses ground to competitors. But it warranted barely a mention on the company’s earnings call.

The Bottom Line: Too many franchised restaurant chains desperately sell franchises to anyone in their bid for growth and are critical of them when things go south.

The Bottom Line: The Chicago-based burger giant says the offer is generating incremental cash flow for operators as it reverses the company’s sagging reputation for value.

The Bottom Line: The company has acknowledged that it is talking with activist Elliott Management. But it also has an activist shareholder named Howard Schultz.

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