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Financing

How Panera Bread plans to rise again

 By Joe Guszkowski and Lisa Jennings on Nov. 21, 2025

The Week in Restaurants: This week’s episode of the restaurant news discussion podcast looks at Panera’s new turnaround strategy, the latest in Cracker Barrel’s logo saga, and Sweetgreen’s pivot to protein.

Financing

Cracker Barrel board member ousted following activist pressure

 By Joe Guszkowski on Nov. 20, 2025

Gilbert Dávila stepped down after losing a shareholder vote Thursday. It was a win for investor Sardar Biglari’s latest fight against the family-dining chain, but shareholders rebuffed him on other issues, including re-electing CEO Julie Masino.

Financing

Manage for the long term, no matter who is pulling the strings

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 20, 2025

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual chain Five Guys refuses to compromise on product quality, even when it means it can’t open in some markets. Its family ownership allows that choice.

Financing

Restaurant chains are thriving outside the U.S.

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 17, 2025

The Bottom Line: This week’s edition of the restaurant finance newsletter looks at the outperformance of restaurant chains outside the U.S.

Emerging Brands

Pura Vida Miami wins growth investment from TSG Consumer

By Lisa Jennings on Nov. 13, 2025

The fast-casual wellness chain is growing in Florida, New York and Southern California as a high-end, all-day cafe.

Financing

In Minnesota, Krispy Kreme proves it can still attract a crowd

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 12, 2025

The doughnut chain has had its share of challenges recently, but that didn’t matter to the customers who waited hours for the opening of the state’s first location in nearly two decades.

Financing

Here come the take-private deals

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 11, 2025

The Bottom Line: Denny’s and Potbelly have both been taken private. Noodles & Company and Pizza Hut are on the market. And rumors are constantly flying about Papa Johns.

Financing

Is the market for restaurant company IPOs making a comeback? Not necessarily

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 11, 2025

Black Rock Coffee Bar demonstrated that there is some demand from Wall Street investors for restaurant chains. But the bar for such offerings remains high. "It's thawing. It's not thawed."

Financing

Sardar Biglari gets some help in fight against Cracker Barrel

By Joe Guszkowski on Nov. 10, 2025

Two key shareholder advisory firms are backing the activist’s argument that change is needed at the floundering family-dining chain, including the ouster of board member Gilbert Dávila. But they recommended that CEO Julie Masino remain in place.

Financing

A brutal year for Sweetgreen

By Jonathan Maze on Nov. 10, 2025

The Bottom Line: In this week’s edition of the restaurant finance newsletter, we discuss the challenges at the fast-casual salad chain and its brutal stock decline over the past year.

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