Sweetgreen's digital sales made up 67% of Q4 2021 revenue

By capturing the majority of its online orders through proprietary platforms, the salad chain has been able to collect valuable consumer data that informs digital-exclusive offerings. 

By Emma Liem Beckett • March 7, 2022

Delivery bot firm Starship has raised $100M since January

The company's funding includes $57 million from the European Investment Bank and $42 million from a Series B funding round led by NordicNinja and Taavet+Sten.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • March 2, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

Restaurant Financing

With ongoing macroeconomic pressures facing restaurants, operators are entering into alternative financing, mergers and acquisitions and even bankruptcy to sustain their businesses. 

By Restaurant Dive staff

Toast CFO leans into tactical investments for market share

“As CFO it’s my role to make sure I take the strategy and paint the picture with numbers,” Elena Gomez said.  

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Feb. 28, 2022

Wendy’s creates development fund, new store formats to grow franchise diversity

The burger chain's "Own Your Opportunity" recruitment initiative is designed to increase restaurant ownership among women and people of color.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Feb. 28, 2022

DoorDash's 2021 revenue, losses buoyed by new verticals

The leading delivery aggregator's revenue rose 69% over year one of the pandemic, but its losses grew by $7 million.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 17, 2022

Grubhub expands convenience channel Grubhub Goods nationwide

The service will offer delivery from more than 3,000 locations across the country and follows a successful pilot with 7-Eleven. 

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 15, 2022

DoorDash will give cash advances to small businesses

DoorDash Capital allows restaurants to repay the cash advances based on a percentage of their DoorDash sales and without interest.

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 9, 2022

Chipotle’s menu prices are about 10% higher than last year, and still climbing

The menu price hikes contributed to strong quarterly sales, with same-store sales rising 15% over Q4 2020 and total sales hitting $2 billion, exceeding analyst predictions.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Feb. 9, 2022

Kitchen United teams with Simon Property Group to bring off-premise eating to malls

The ghost kitchen's "Grab Go Eat" concept lets diners order from mall restaurants for on-premise pickup, delivery to tables or stores and off-premise takeaway, CEO Michael Montagano said.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Feb. 3, 2022

Lunchbox's $50M funding includes investment from DoorDash execs

This participation in the funding round reflects blurring lines between digital ordering and delivery fulfillment, though Lunchbox CEO Nabeel Alamgir has been critical of third-party delivery firms' high commission fees. 

By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 2, 2022

Tropical Smoothie is eyeing an IPO, Bloomberg reports

After a year of solid same-store sales growth, the chain may go public, following several successful restaurant IPOs in 2021.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Jan. 20, 2022

Cooper's Hawk planning 2022 IPO, Bloomberg reports

The restaurant is targeting a valuation of $1 billion if it goes public, more than double the valuation of Krispy Kreme, Sweetgreen and Portillo's.  

By Alicia Kelso • Jan. 13, 2022

Papa Johns will open over 1,350 stores in China by 2040

The pizza chain's largest franchisee development deal to date will grow its global unit count by 25% and continue its aggressive expansion push.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Jan. 7, 2022

How 2021's restaurant IPOs have performed so far

From Dutch Bros' booming IPO to Krispy Kreme's less-than-stellar initial stock performance, these are the companies that went public this year. 

By Julie Littman • Dec. 20, 2021

10 most impactful restaurant M&A deals of 2021

Plentiful capital, concerns over changing tax laws and a decent recovery among QSRs helped drive transaction activity in 2021, but 2022 could slow dealmaking and spark more interest in full-service chains. 

Dec. 15, 2021

Fertitta Entertainment may pay $33M to kill merger with Fast Acquisition Corp.

The deal would have taken Fertitta public, but owner Tilman Fertitta ultimately decided to keep the company private. Fast will continue to look for another operating company to combine with.

By Julie Littman • Dec. 13, 2021

Jack in the Box to buy Del Taco for $575M

The transaction, which is expected to close during the first quarter of 2022, will result in a combined unit count of 2,800 across 25 states. 

By Julie Littman • Updated Dec. 6, 2021

Mod Pizza plans to go public

An entrance into the public market caps off a year of recovery in which the fast casual chain opened its 500th store, despite posting a 5% decline in systemwide sales in 2020.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 23, 2021

Fogo de Chao plots return to the public markets

The Brazilian steakhouse chain went private in 2018 through a sale to Rhone Capital, but hopes an initial public offering will help it pay down debts and open 300 units over 20 years.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Nov. 18, 2021

Sweetgreen goes public with $364M IPO

The fast casual company, which isn't yet profitable, plans to use technology to increase restaurant-level margins and average unit volumes.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 18, 2021

How Presto's public debut could help restaurants improve labor productivity

Raising millions of dollars in capital will help the restaurant technology company invest in improving its labor saving and guest experience products.

By Julie Littman • Nov. 15, 2021

Private investment firm to buy one of Taco Bell’s largest franchisees

Orangewood Partners' purchase of Pacific Bells, which operates over 250 Taco Bells in nine states, comes amid a broader restaurant M&A spike.

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 12, 2021

Reef will offer C3's brands at 800 locations by 2025

The news is an expansion of a previous deal between the two companies to develop 500 units by 2025. C3 brands currently operate out of 125 Reef ghost kitchen vessels. 

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Nov. 10, 2021

Panera Brands plans to go public

Danny Meyer's special purpose acquisition company, USHG Acquisition Corp., will become a cornerstone investor in Panera Brands and Meyer will invest directly in the company once it goes public. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 9, 2021

Uber Eats' restaurant delivery reaches profitability for first time

The company reinvested its profits into new verticals, allowing it to expand into new areas of delivery, such as baby and kids. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 8, 2021