Chipotle launches $50M venture fund to access emerging tech

Cultivate Next, which will be funded solely by the chain, will focus on Series B stage companies that can help accelerate Chipotle's strategic priorities.

By Julie Littman • April 19, 2022

Dave & Buster's to buy Main Event for $835M

Following the close of the all-cash transaction, which is expected to occur later this year, Main Event CEO Chris Morris will become Dave & Buster's CEO.

By Julie Littman • April 6, 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

Howard Schultz suspends Starbucks share repurchase program

The move will let the chain invest more profit into employees and stores "to create long-term value for all stakeholders," Schultz wrote on Monday. 

By Alicia Kelso • April 5, 2022

Surging inflation compelling small businesses to raise prices

Inflation is broad based — flaring in every sector — and will probably persist longer than initially expected, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said.

By Jim Tyson • April 1, 2022

Papa John’s refranchises 90 units in Texas with Sun Holdings

The move will give Sun Holdings, which will open 100 new Papa John's units in Texas by 2029, the scale to support new restaurant development.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • March 31, 2022

Study: Two-thirds of restaurants hurt by rising gas prices

Restaurant owners say steep prices at the pump have affected their delivery sales, according to Alignable research. 

By Alicia Kelso • March 30, 2022

Red Lobster taps Bloomin' Brands alum as CFO

David Schmidt succeeds Craig Pommels, who left Red Lobster to become CFO of Cracker Barrel in December.

By Emma Liem Beckett • March 14, 2022

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

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