Jonathan Maze

Editor-in-Chief

Articles by
Jonathan Maze

Page 5
Food

Customers are apparently all-in on Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte this year

Traffic has surged this year following the introduction of the coffee giant's fall lineup last month, according to the data firm Placer.ai. And one of the biggest reasons is the day of the week the lineup was launched.

Financing

McDonald's restaurant valuations come back down to earth

The Bottom Line: Franchisee valuations are “plummeting,” according to the head of the chain’s independent franchisee association. The company has not been able to get many new franchisees into the system. But the market is just different now.

The Bottom Line: Ike’s Love & Sandwiches has grown to 100 locations. And a surprisingly big part of its growth strategy involves closed Subway restaurants.

The 60-unit chain’s former CFO will take the helm as it plots its growth outside the U.S. for the first time.

The fast casual’s franchisees say they’re struggling with its price restrictions, coupled with high costs. And one operator says the barbecue chain put her store on the market without her knowledge.

A Deeper Dive: Michael Goldberg, CEO of Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, joins the podcast to talk about his chain’s growth strategy, including its use of second-generation restaurants, including closed Subways.

Papa Murphy’s, Baskin-Robbins and Burger King are among the chains that closed the most net restaurants last year. But one big chain stands out.

The Bottom Line: Consumers could easily shift into value mode as they start repaying student loans and run out of pandemic cash. But that doesn’t mean you should start slashing prices.

The burger chain is planning a “strategic refranchising program,” refranchising restaurants in certain markets to operators that then build more locations.

The former Kitchen United chief executive will become the first CEO in in the Pasadena, Calif.-based chain’s history.

The Bottom Line: The 22-year-old private equity firm has been involved in many of the industry’s biggest deals, especially in recent years. And Subway isn’t even the biggest.

The Bottom Line: The lengthy sale process and the apparent deal terms in Roark Capital’s winning bid reveal just how difficult a turnaround the sandwich giant is.

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