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Biography

Jonathan Maze

Editor-in-Chief

 Contact Jonathan

Restaurant Business 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.”

Articles by
Jonathan Maze

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Financing

Customers keep visiting Starbucks and spending more money

The Seattle-based coffee chain’s average weekly sales hit a record last quarter as people came in more often and spent more money when they did.

Financing

Subway wants the world to eat a lot more sandwiches

The fast-food sandwich chain wants to add 24,000 international restaurants to catch up with other quick-service brands. But the company is also pushing big changes to grow its U.S. business.

Financing

Subway says its sales grew again last year

Average unit volumes are higher than they’ve been in a decade and the sandwich chain says the number of closures has slowed, too. And more changes are coming.

Financing

Why Capriotti's hoards stuffing every Thanksgiving

A Deeper Dive: David Bloom, chief development officer for Capriotti’s and Wing Zone, discusses the chains’ recent combination, franchising and food costs.

Financing

Restaurants want to do more business in less space

Inflation is driving up the cost of operating a restaurant, making efficiency more important than ever. So chains are shrinking the size of their restaurants and reorganizing their kitchens.

Financing

Subway’s late cofounder donates his half of the chain to his foundation

Dr. Peter Buck, who cofounded the chain with Fred DeLuca, left his 50% ownership in the company to the charity he and his wife started more than 20 years ago.

Financing

Inflation hits McDonald’s and its European operators

The burger giant expects thinner margins this year and it is spending up to $150 million to support franchisees in Europe hit by higher costs.

Financing

McDonald’s added U.S. restaurants last year for the first time since 2014

And the burger giant is planning to step up its development, saying it has a “right” to do so after generating strong sales growth since the pandemic.

Financing

Red Lobster, private equity, and the problem of asset sales

The Bottom Line: Eight years after Darden sold the seafood chain, it is closing locations, talking about a “turnaround” and seeking rent concessions.

Financing

McDonald’s sales accelerated last quarter, thanks to adult Happy Meals and the McRib

The company’s same-store sales rose 10.3% in the U.S. behind its marketing promotions and increased customer counts.

Financing

Why 2023 will be a year of weaker sales and higher margins

Fitch Ratings expects modest restaurant growth this year. But recent price increases and an improving inflationary environment should help with profits.

Financing

Laxman Narasimhan gets $8.8M to take the Starbucks CEO job

The coffee giant’s “CEO elect,” who takes over the full-time job in April, received a sign-on bonus and stock awards. Howard Schultz, the interim CEO, was paid $1.

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