Financing

How your restaurant sales and profits compare to competitors' and what you can do to improve financial performance

Financing

Ruth's Chris acquisition already paying off for Darden

Adding the steakhouse chain to its portfolio will unlock $35 million in synergies and savings per year for the company, $15 million more than expected.

Financing

Pizza Inn is planning to start operating out of Pie Five locations

The pizza buffet chain plans to operate as a virtual brand out of its fast-casual sister chain starting next year.

The Bottom Line: The addition of the sandwich giant will make Roark a bigger player than McDonald's in the U.S. But its position in the sandwich market will not be all that unusual.

A Deeper Dive: Marketing expert Chip Klose joins the podcast to talk about how small restaurant brands can keep pace with the big guys.

The Bottom Line: Restaurants have stepped off the pricing gas. But sales are slowing and traffic is weak, and more operators are turning to price promotions.

The doughnut chain is an “affordable luxury” that people gather to enjoy. Its competitors are not just Dunkin’ and other doughnut concepts but cake makers and even florists.

The Bottom Line: Fewer than 200 restaurant chains will be affected by the lowered threshold included in the compromise fast-food legislation.

Dynamic pricing, also known as surge pricing, is expected to take off in the coming years, thanks to new technology. But customers may not like it.

The Bottom Line: Some executives of franchise chains are also franchisees. “I feel the pain when I make a decision to bring something in.”

Some operators say they were left out of discussions on a matter that could hurt per-store cash flow by $250,000 in the state. But the company said the deal will protect the franchise model without a costly fight.

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