Financing

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

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 08, 2022

The Bottom Line: Consumer spending continues to grow this holiday season, but it’s slowing, and businesses are more cautious, large banks told investors this week.

Financing

MTY Food Group completes its acquisition of Wetzel’s Pretzels

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 08, 2022

The $207 million deal is the latest in a string of acquisitions by the Canadian owner of Pinkberry and Papa Murphy’s, giving the company a major U.S. presence.

Premium

Financing

Franchise brands push growth even as the market gets tougher

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 07, 2022

Margins are thinning and lending is tightening. But franchise brands continue to push growth, and many are finding success recruiting new operators.

Financing

Why companies should, or should not, franchise their business

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 07, 2022

A Deeper Dive: Gary Occhiogrosso, founder of Franchise Growth Solutions, joins the podcast this week to talk about franchising.

Premium

Financing

Tim Hortons goes small to make it work in the U.S.

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 07, 2022

The Bottom Line: The coffee chain’s parent company still believes the brand can work south of the Canadian border, but it first had to change.

Financing

Bertucci’s declares bankruptcy for a second time

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 06, 2022

The brick oven pizza chain, which also sought debt protection in 2018, blamed the pandemic and inflation for its problems.

Premium

Financing

Automation doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing choice

Dec. 05, 2022

Technomic's Take: Declining labor force participation is putting pressure on restaurants. Technology that makes workers' lives easier can help address those challenges.

Premium

Financing

So much for Freshii being worth $1B

By Jonathan Maze on Dec. 05, 2022

The Bottom Line: Investment bankers initially pushed the healthy fast-casual franchise as a $1 billion brand. It never came close to that. And then the pandemic hit.

Financing