Popular Articles

UC Santa Cruz Study Reveals the Real Impact of California's $20 Fast Food Wage: Higher Pay, Fewer Hours, and an Automation Surge

A UC Santa Cruz economist spent months interviewing franchise owners across California and found what aggregate BLS data can't show: hours cut 11.5% at one McDonald's group, menu prices up 8-12%, and a capital spending shift toward kiosks and mobile ordering. The findings carry serious implications for operators in states weighing their own $20 wage floors.

OneRyan Global Acquires Mr. Gatti's Pizza: A Dallas Family Office Bets on the Pizza Buffet's Second Act

OneRyan Global, the family investment office of tax consulting titan Brint Ryan, has acquired a controlling interest in Mr. Gatti's Pizza, capping a transition to a fully franchised system and positioning the 57-year-old pizza buffet brand for an unconventional expansion into Walmart stores and convenience locations.

MAR 24, 2026 · 7 MIN READ

Restaurant Growth Stocks Hit a Wall: Inside the Late-February 2026 Selloff

In late February 2026, Wall Street repriced fast-casual growth stocks aggressively, sending Wingstop, Shake Shack, and CAVA lower while McDonald's and Starbucks surged on execution. The divergence signals a fundamental shift in how investors value restaurant growth.

JUL 30, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

NDCP extends Dunkin agreement with Pacific Northwest pricing benefit

NDCP’s July extension runs through 2056. Original 2012 documents explain how consolidation and purchasing savings were intended to support flat pricing.

APR 27, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Domino’s Supply Margin Rose While Store Basket Prices Climbed

The distributor’s margin, a store’s invoice and a franchisee’s profit-sharing credit measure different parts of the same supply relationship.

MAR 24, 2026 · 6 MIN READ

RBI Insiders Dump $32 Million in Stock as QSR Hits 12-Month High

Five Restaurant Brands International executives sold 435,191 shares worth $31.83 million in a three-month window that coincided with QSR stock reaching its highest point in a year. The coordinated selling raises questions investors need to weigh against management's confident 2028 growth targets.

Papa Johns’ revenue decline reflects refranchising and weaker store sales

An earlier 85-store transfer explains most of the company-restaurant revenue decline. Comparable sales and North America commissary figures need separate readings.

MAY 7, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Digi plans $130 million sensor acquisition for SmartSense

Digi’s planned acquisition would bring Disruptive Technologies into its SmartSense business.

OCT 2, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Cracker Barrel Raises Guidance as Sales Declines Narrow

Cracker Barrel’s June outlook improved, but adjusted earnings remained below last year. Its filing separates traffic, retail margins and a litigation gain.

JUN 9, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

D.C.'s $25 Minimum Wage Push Is the Most Aggressive Labor Test in the Country

Washington D.C. is heading toward a ballot initiative that would raise the minimum wage to $25 an hour by 2029 and eliminate the tip credit entirely by 2031. For restaurant operators, both inside and outside the District, this is the labor cost scenario they've been dreading.

MAR 20, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

How to Read a QSR Earnings Call: An Investor's Guide

Earnings calls are choreographed performances. CEOs spin, obfuscate, and bury the important information. Here's how to decode the language, spot the red flags, and find the truth underneath.

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.

JUN 29, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

Cotton Patch’s Sale Brings 46 Restaurants Into Local Favorite

Local Favorite’s acquisition adds Cotton Patch’s 46-location business and gives its CEO responsibility for a combined 99-restaurant portfolio.

First Watch grows sales as comparable visits decline

Higher sales and better restaurant margins coexist with falling comparable traffic and a wider net loss in First Watch’s first quarter.

MAY 5, 2026 · 3 MIN READ

MAR 20, 2026 · 9 MIN READ

QSR Franchise Disclosure Document Red Flags: What Every Buyer Needs to Know

The FDD is 200+ pages of legal text. Most franchisees skim or ignore it. That's a ,000 mistake. Here's how to read Items 7, 19, 20, and 21 - the sections that actually matter.

SEP 25, 2026 · 2 MIN READ

Pizza Inn signs a 10-buffet development agreement

The first five openings are anticipated in fiscal 2027.

MAR 20, 2026 · 8 MIN READ

The Franchise Disclosure Document Red Flags Every Buyer Misses

The FDD is 300+ pages of legal disclosure that most franchise buyers barely skim. Items 7, 19, and 20 contain the most critical financial information, and the red flags hiding in them can mean the difference between a profitable franchise and a $2 million mistake.