The $800K New Build: Why Restaurant Construction Costs Exploded
From material inflation to labor shortages, franchisees face unprecedented barriers to expansion as build-out costs surge past historical norms
Category
Franchise economics, pricing, food costs, real estate, payments
207 articles
RSSFrom material inflation to labor shortages, franchisees face unprecedented barriers to expansion as build-out costs surge past historical norms
Private equity dry powder, aging franchisees, and a consolidation arms race are pushing QSR resale valuations to unprecedented heights — and reshaping who owns America's fast food.

A guide to SBA-backed restaurant financing: eligible loan uses, required contributions, qualifying equity sources and the franchise eligibility and credit reviews behind an application.
With Chick-fil-A properties trading at sub-4.5% cap rates and institutional capital pouring into drive-thru assets, quick-service restaurant real estate has cemented its status as the bond market's cooler cousin.
From nuclear verdicts to carrier exits, the forces reshaping restaurant insurance — and the strategies operators are deploying to survive the hard market
Inside the commission structures, margin pressures, and strategic choices defining the future of restaurant profitability
Data analytics, billion-dollar unit volumes, and drive-thru-only formats are transforming the battle for prime restaurant locations
While operators obsess over labor costs and food prices, the payment processing industry quietly siphons billions from an already thin-margin business
A data-driven look at the three structural forces that permanently reset quick-service pricing — and what operators and investors need to understand about the new baseline
From Roark's $9.6 billion Subway deal to Blackstone's $8 billion Jersey Mike's acquisition, PE firms are reshaping who owns American fast food.
Wingstop delivers over 70% cash-on-cash returns through asset-light operations and exceptional unit economics. Here's why franchisees love this model and how the numbers actually work.
Sonic's drive-in model requires more real estate and labor than traditional QSR, but generates $1.5M AUV through higher check averages. Here's how the carhop economics actually work.