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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

Consumers flocked to fine dining restaurants last year

 By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 29, 2022

The Bottom Line: Among winners and losers during the fourth quarter, fine dining stood out. But strong performances were common as the industry largely recovered its lost sales.

Financing

Here’s how much supply chain costs are increasing this year

 By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 28, 2022

The Bottom Line: Operators are forecasting massive increases in food costs this year. Do they have enough pricing power after a year of aggressive increases?

Financing

Looking for experiences, consumers flock to polished casual restaurants

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 24, 2022

The Bottom Line: The Melting Pot had its best year in a decade last year. One reason is consumer demand for get-togethers.

Financing

For restaurants, higher prices and thinner margins

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 23, 2022

The Bottom Line: Even though operators are raising prices at historically high rates, they are still not capturing their increased costs.

Financing

Carl Icahn commences his weird and rare proxy fight with McDonald’s

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 21, 2022

The Bottom Line: Activist investors have long wanted changes at the burger giant but its first real board battle in modern history will be fought over pigs.

Financing

Restaurant chains’ Russia risks are on full display right now

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 18, 2022

The Bottom Line: There is only so much franchises can do to close their stores in the country. It’s not keeping people from calling for boycotts.

Financing

Starbucks’ next CEO will face opportunities, and plenty of challenges

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 17, 2022

The Bottom Line: Kevin Johnson is leaving the Seattle-based coffee giant in a better place. But growing union efforts, supply chain issues and Howard Schultz’s return make it seem like a rescue.

Financing

Why so many big-name chains are changing their CEOs right now

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 17, 2022

The Bottom Line: Starbucks, Domino’s, Wingstop and Darden are all changing their top executives. It demonstrates the changing needs of both the companies and the executives themselves.

Financing

The IPO market grinds to a halt

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 17, 2022

The Bottom Line: A bunch of restaurant companies lined up to go public just before the market ground to a halt. Yet last year’s IPOs didn’t do that badly.

Financing

For big chains, the U.S. becomes a ‘growth market’

By Jonathan Maze on Mar. 14, 2022

The Bottom Line: The largest chains are accelerating growth, some for the first time in years. But is there room enough for all of them?

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