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Finance & Economics - Page 4 | QSR Pro
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Finance & Economics

Franchise economics, pricing, food costs, real estate, payments

170 articles

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finance
Finance & Economics

Private Equity's 2026 QSR Playbook: How Buyout Firms Are Reshaping Franchise Ownership

From Blackstone's $8 billion Jersey Mike's deal to a private equity consortium taking Denny's private for $620 million, 2025 was a banner year for restaurant M&A. Here's what the dealmaking tells us about where franchise ownership is headed.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Global Fast Food Market Is Heading Toward $868 Billion by 2030. Here Is What Is Actually Driving It.

A new Research and Markets report pegs the global fast food market at $658.85 billion in 2025, with a projected rise to $868.19 billion by 2030 at a 5.7% CAGR. The growth is real, but the story behind the numbers is more complicated than any single headline figure suggests.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Restaurant-Grocery Price Gap Is Widening: What It Means for QSR Traffic in 2026

USDA projects food-away-from-home prices to rise 3.7% to 4.6% in 2026, while grocery inflation is forecast at just 1.7%. The widening gap is changing how middle-income consumers spend their food budgets, and QSR operators are caught in the middle.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Domino's Nine-Quarter Same-Store Sales Streak Reshapes the Pizza Category

Domino's posted 3.7% U.S. same-store sales growth in Q4 2025, extending a nine-quarter streak that has redrawn competitive lines across the $46 billion U.S. pizza market. As Pizza Hut sheds 250 locations and Papa John's winds down 300, the gap between the category leader and the rest of the field keeps widening.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

FAT Brands' Billion-Dollar Collapse: How an Acquisition Spree Led to Chapter 11

FAT Brands and affiliate Twin Hospitality filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 26, 2026, capping a years-long acquisition binge that loaded the company with debt across 17 brands and 2,300-plus locations. The collapse is a case study in franchise rollup risk, and it carries direct consequences for hundreds of franchisees now operating inside a restructuring.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Subway Under Roark Capital: Same-Store Sales Rising, but the Footprint Keeps Shrinking

Roark Capital paid $9.6 billion for Subway in 2023 and has since posted 12 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth. Yet the U.S. store count has dropped below 20,000 for the first time in two decades. Understanding that contradiction is the key to understanding Roark's playbook.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Smithfield Foods Acquires Nathan's Famous for $450 Million: What Vertical Integration Means for QSR Supply Chains

Smithfield Foods is buying Nathan's Famous for approximately $450 million, converting a licensing arrangement into outright ownership. The deal raises pointed questions about supplier-operator relationships, franchise economics, and whether vertical integration is becoming the supply chain strategy of choice for the industry's biggest players.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Wingstop Beat Q4 Estimates by 20%. Now It's Betting on Smart Kitchens and a Loyalty Program.

Wingstop posted adjusted EPS of $1.00 against a $0.83 consensus, shares jumped 11%, and the company rolled out Smart Kitchens to 2,000 locations. A national loyalty program launching in Q2 2026 could be the next catalyst.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Shake Shack's Profitability Pivot: How a Burger Chain Is Building Its Biggest Pipeline While Cutting Costs

Shake Shack is guiding for 55-60 new company-operated Shacks in 2026, the largest development pipeline in company history, while simultaneously cutting average net build costs below $2 million. The combination is reshaping the chain's unit economics and putting it on a credible path to 23%-23.5% restaurant-level margins.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

IFA Projects $920 Billion in Franchise Output for 2026, But QSR Growth Barely Moves the Needle

The International Franchise Association projects total franchise output to exceed $920 billion in 2026, yet QSR unit growth is stalled at just 0.5%. Here is where the money is actually flowing, and what it means for operators and investors trying to figure out what to do next.

MAR 24, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

QSR Franchising Growth Stalls Below 0.5%: Why 2026 Is a Year of Survival, Not Expansion

The International Franchise Association projects QSR franchise growth below 0.5% in 2026, the weakest showing of any major franchise sector. With food costs 36% above pre-pandemic levels, labor costs up 35%, and tariffs hitting supply chains, operators are cutting menus and switching suppliers rather than signing new leases.

MAR 24, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Denny's Just Went Private for $620 Million. Here Is What TriArtisan's Turnaround Playbook Looks Like.

Denny's completed its $620 million sale to a consortium led by TriArtisan Capital Advisors on January 16, 2026, ending nearly three decades as a public company. The deal loaded $335 million in new debt onto a chain already managing thin margins and declining traffic, and the buyer's track record with TGI Fridays and Hooters raises pointed questions about what comes next for 1,500 franchisees.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
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