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Financing

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

Financing

Is Chili's as cheap as McDonald's? It is in California

 By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 04, 2025

The Bottom Line: Data from Technomic’s Price Pulse shows that the average price for a medium Big Mac meal in California is about the same as the price for a Big Smasher on Chili’s 3-for-Me menu.

Financing

How restaurants can adapt marketing in an era of AI

 By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 04, 2025

A Deeper Dive: Kyle Drenon, CEO and co-owner of Supper Co., joins the restaurant finance podcast to talk about AI, its impact on restaurant marketing, and how companies can adapt.

Financing

Dave's Hot Chicken provides Roark Capital with some needed growth

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 04, 2025

The Bottom Line: More than half of the private-equity firm’s restaurant chains shrunk last year, including Arby’s, Subway and Sonic. And only six of its chains, not counting Dave’s, grew more than average.

Financing

Roark Capital gobbles up another restaurant chain

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 03, 2025

The Bottom Line: The private-equity firm just bought its 21st restaurant chain in Dave’s Hot Chicken. It remains a close second to giant McDonald’s in terms of total sales. When will it exit an investment?

Financing

Roark Capital acquires Dave's Hot Chicken for $1B and eyes international growth

By Lisa Jennings on Jun. 02, 2025

The fast-casual chain went from parking-lot popup to 10-digit deal in eight years. As the "rock star" in the private-equity firm's deep restaurant portfolio, Dave's executives say they are driving toward a potential IPO.

Financing

For some restaurants, not taxing tips could create more headaches

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 02, 2025

The Independent Restaurant Coalition is urging Congress to reconsider a tax break on tips, saying it would further create an imbalance between servers and back-of-house workers.

Financing

CapitalSpring may get involved in an El Pollo Loco sale

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 02, 2025

The private-equity firm has taken a stake in the chicken chain and the two are talking about a “potential extraordinary transaction” as an investor or financier, increasing the chances of a sale.

Financing

Red Robin's profits soar, and so does its stock

By Joe Guszkowski on May 30, 2025

The casual-dining burger chain more than doubled its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, in the first quarter. Its stock price doubled as well.

Financing

Burger King makes some progress with a key constituent: Families

By Jonathan Maze on May 30, 2025

The fast-food burger chain is getting more families in the door thanks to remodeled restaurants and promotions such as a How to Train Your Dragon Meal, which is helping it outperform many competitors. Strategies for restaurant operators.

Financing

Restaurant chains are pushing more value

By Jonathan Maze and Joe Guszkowski on May 30, 2025

The Week in Restaurants: The restaurant news discussion podcast this week features a discussion on the summertime value wars and &pizza’s price cuts; a look at Bubba’s 33 and why McDonald’s is shuttering CosMc’s.

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