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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

Why Jack in the Box changed its CEO

The Week in Restaurants: This week’s episode of the restaurant news discussion podcast looks at the change in management at the fast-food chain, Pizza Hut’s lawsuit and the National Restaurant Association Show.

Financing

Fat Brands accuses one of its lenders of fraud

The operator of Hot Dog on a Stick and several other chains has filed a complaint against Insight Capital over a $20.6 million refinancing transaction just before Fat Brands declared bankruptcy.

Financing

Jack in the Box's weird year gets weirder

The Bottom Line: The company has changed leadership, unleashed a revitalization plan, battled with franchisees and an activist and sold Del Taco. It is now changing leaders again.

Financing

In the burger business, Culver's and Shake Shack are grabbing market share

Sales among limited-service burger chains remained weak in 2025 amid consumer weakness and a shift to chicken or other items. But higher-quality growth chains are grabbing share and making noise.

Financing

This company is taking Chinese takeout into the modern era

A Deeper Dive: Min Choe and Angell Tsang, the cofounders of the Austin, Texas-based Tso Chinese Takeout and Delivery, join this week's episode of the restaurant finance podcast.

Financing

Inspire Brands was created in one world. It's going public in another

The Bottom Line: The owner of Dunkin’, Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic and Jimmy John's will be going public in a market where investors are more skeptical of multi-brand operators.

Marketing

McDonald's is putting its name on a Chicago soccer stadium

The fast-food giant has a deal with Chicago Fire FC to name its privately funded stadium McDonald’s Park, set to open in 2028. It's the company's first professional stadium rights deal in the U.S.

Financing

Can Wendy's reverse its sales slide? It may need more support

The Bottom Line: The fast-food chain’s struggles have been shocking, and while the company sees some early signs of progress, it could take more to truly fix things.

Financing

Franchisees push their claims in the Fat Brands bankruptcy

Franchisees of several of the restaurant chain operator's brands are claiming tens of millions in damages over everything from misused ad funds to overcharges for cookie supplies.

Financing

Score a big win for better operations

The Bottom Line: There were some strong numbers reported in restaurant company earnings last week. But in-store operations improvements really mattered.

Financing

Franchisee profitability has taken a big hit

The Bottom Line: A push for value and rising costs, especially for beef, have taken a big bite out of franchisee and company store profits in the fast-food space.

Financing

Shake Shack encounters an unforgiving Wall Street

The fast-casual burger chain has strategies in place that could make it a lot larger than its initial plans. But then the company ran into a first-quarter weather problem.

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