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

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

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

How P.F. Chang's fuses innovation and business continuity during uncertain times

P. F. Chang's determined that their financial system was at its end of life and needed to be replaced. What was their solution? 

Nov. 8, 2021

Dickey's accelerates expansion with 100 more units through Ghost Kitchen Brands

The barbecue chain continues to partner with ghost kitchen companies to expand its presence in North America. The latest collaboration brings it into Walmart. 

By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 5, 2021

Shake Shack plans largest expansion to date with up to 50 units in 2022

The company will focus primarily on suburban markets where units can be built in freestanding locations or within shopping centers, executives said Thursday. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 5, 2021

Fat Brands buys Fazoli's for $130M

The multi-branded restaurant platform has made its fourth acquisition in the last 15 months with the addition of the 200-unit QSR chain, which has a pipeline of another 100 units. 

By Julie Littman • Nov. 2, 2021

Fuzzy's Taco Shop parent forms new restaurant group Experiential Brands

The company aims to double the Mexican brand's footprint in five years, while also looking for other food and beverage concepts to add to its portfolio.

By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 27, 2021

McDonald's will sell McD Tech Labs to IBM

The sale of the platform reflects the chain's evolving approach to insourcing versus outsourcing technology, CEO Chris Kempczinski said.

By Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 27, 2021

Dig raises $65M to fuel expansion, employee benefits

The vegetable-centric restaurant plans to use the funding to reopen units closed during the pandemic and add locations in new markets, growing from 30 to 60 units in the next three years. 

By Julie Littman • Oct. 27, 2021

Portillo's eyes 600 units following its $405M IPO

CEO Michael Osanloo said the Chicago-based chain's new capital structure allows it to pay off significant debt, and it expects to open locations in nearby Midwestern states and the Sunbelt.

By Julie Littman • Oct. 22, 2021