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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

Virtual brands’ big risk: Dine-in service comes back

 By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 19, 2021

With so many virtual brands now occupying excess kitchen space at casual-dining restaurants, RB’s The Bottom Line wonders what happens when dine-in customers return.

Financing

McDonald’s hit with an unusual combination: franchisee unrest and strong sales

 By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 18, 2021

RB’s The Bottom Line examines the debate over technology fees between the company and its owners, and why it matters.

Financing

Why MrBeast Burger is the most important restaurant concept in the U.S. right now

By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 12, 2021

The explosion of virtual brands and their quick growth promise a new model that could bring more investors to the space, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

The stimulus effect starts wearing off

By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 09, 2021

Black Box Intelligence data says the year has started off strongly, but has been slowing down every week, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Lessons in the Luckin Coffee debacle

By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 08, 2021

The Chinese coffee chain, which filed for bankruptcy last week, holds some key lessons for U.S. restaurants, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Danny Meyer starts a SPAC

By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 05, 2021

The CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and founder of Shake Shack has started a $250 million blank-check company targeting acquisitions in any industry, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Distributors are bullish on an independent restaurant comeback

By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 03, 2021

Sysco, US Foods and Performance Food Group all argue that the death of the local restaurants is greatly exaggerated, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

Despite strong sales, the economy remains weak

By Jonathan Maze on Feb. 01, 2021

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski notes that economic concern will remain, especially after the stimulus rolls off, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

At McDonald’s, fear of a rising minimum wage disappears

By Jonathan Maze on Jan. 29, 2021

CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company does “just fine” where states raise the wage to $15, with some caveats, says RB’s The Bottom Line.

Financing

On hedge funds, GameStop and Famous Dave’s

By Jonathan Maze on Jan. 28, 2021

The surge in value of companies like GameStop and AMC reminds RB’s The Bottom Line of the time when hedge funders drove up stock in the barbecue chain—and almost destroyed it.

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