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Popular Articles

The most-read analysis and research across QSR Pro. See what operators, franchisees, and investors are reading right now.

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finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Popeyes Franchise

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has spent the last five years on a growth tear. The 2019 chicken sandwich launch wasn't just a viral moment. It fundamentally shifted the brand's position in the QSR chicken

MAR 21, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Category:AllFinance & EconomicsIndustry AnalysisMarketing & GrowthOperations & ManagementPeople & CultureTechnology & Innovation
170 articles|645 total published
Finance & Economics

El Pollo Loco Beats Q4 Estimates, Outlines 18-20 New Openings and 65-75 Remodels for 2026

El Pollo Loco posted adjusted Q4 EPS of $0.25, beating consensus by $0.04, and unveiled an aggressive 2026 growth plan anchored by a smaller, cheaper store prototype and a push into non-traditional venues.

MAR 24, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Great Beef Squeeze: How a 75-Year Low in Cattle Supply Is Reshaping Burger Economics

The U.S. cattle herd has shrunk to its smallest size since 1951. With beef prices surging past records and no relief in sight for years, burger chains face a fundamental question about their business model.

MAR 24, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How Much Does a Bojangles Franchise Cost in 2026?

Bojangles franchise costs range from $2,650,870 to $3,829,400. With 825 locations and $600,000 development incentives, the brand focuses on Southern chicken and made-from-scratch biscuits.

MAR 20, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Restaurant Profitability Paradox: 42% Lost Money in 2025 Despite Record Revenue

The restaurant industry is projected to hit $1.55 trillion in sales in 2026. But 42% of operators lost money last year. The gap between top-line growth and bottom-line reality is the defining challenge of this era in foodservice.

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

AlixPartners Analyzed 90,000 Restaurants. The Math Behind the Value War Has Fundamentally Changed.

New data from AlixPartners' Proprietary Pricing Platform reveals that menu prices outpaced inflation across 90,000 locations, but transaction values fell behind. With gas at $3.94 a gallon and Oxford Economics projecting the slowest consumption growth since 2013, the restaurant pricing playbook is being rewritten in real time.

MAR 25, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Inside the QSR Real Estate Squeeze

Land costs up 20% to 40%. Construction up 35% since 2020. NNN lease escalators pushing occupancy above 8% of revenue. QSR franchisees face the tightest development economics in a generation, and sale-leaseback transactions have doubled as operators scramble for capital.

NOV 3, 2025 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

How to Open a Taco Bell Franchise

Taco Bell is the dominant player in Mexican-inspired QSR, with over 8,000 locations generating more than $13 billion in annual system sales. The brand has spent the last decade evolving from a late-ni

MAR 21, 2026 · 7 MIN READ
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

Franchise M&A in 2026: Why Q2 Is Shaping Up as the Busiest Deal Quarter in Years

A wave of private equity dry powder, maturing PE hold periods, and a bankruptcy auction putting 18 restaurant brands on the block has the franchise M&A market tracking toward its most active stretch in recent memory. Here is what operators and investors need to know.

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

The Real Math on Alcohol in QSR: What Taco Bell's Cantina Shortfall Reveals

Taco Bell projected 300-plus Cantinas by 2022. About 50 exist in 2026. The gap between ambition and reality reveals why alcohol's 80% gross margins don't translate to QSR profits at scale, and why the real beverage opportunity is non-alcoholic.

MAR 28, 2026 · 9 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Chipotle Lost Traffic Every Quarter in 2025. Its 2026 Playbook Bets on Protein, Not Price Cuts.

Chipotle posted its first negative annual same-store sales since 2016, with traffic declining in all four quarters of 2025. Rather than join the industry's value meal arms race, the chain is betting on protein premiums and a stepped-up LTO calendar to win customers back. The strategy is a high-stakes test of whether brand equity can outweigh price sensitivity in a softening consumer environment.

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

How to Open a Wingstop Franchise

Wingstop has quietly become one of the most successful QSR brands in the country. While competitors chase viral moments and trend cycles, Wingstop has built a digital-first, delivery-optimized busines

MAR 21, 2026 · 8 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

The Company-Owned Advantage: Why Fast-Casual's Biggest Winners Are Rejecting Franchising

CAVA, Chipotle, and Sweetgreen built their dominance on full ownership of every location. Now Shake Shack is testing whether you can have it both ways.

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

Tariffs Are Squeezing Restaurant Margins in 2026, and the Playbook Is Running Thin

A new wave of tariff-driven cost pressure is hitting restaurant operators at the worst possible time, with food costs up 40% over five years while menu price increases lag at 30%. With consumer spending softening and supply chains in flux, the traditional tools for protecting margins are losing their edge.

MAR 24, 2026 · 6 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

California's $20 Fast Food Wage: One Year of Hard Data on Jobs, Prices, and Automation

One year after California raised its fast food minimum wage to $20 per hour, a UCSC study and franchise-level data reveal the real costs: 12% fewer labor hours at McDonald's locations, 8-12% menu price increases, and an acceleration of automation investment across major chains.

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

The Restaurant Traffic Cliff: Why Q2 2026 Could Be the Industry's Inflection Point

New EY-Parthenon data shows one in four consumers feeling worse off financially. Circana forecasts sub-1% traffic growth for 2026. The gap between winning and losing chains is accelerating.

MAR 24, 2026 · 5 MIN READ
finance
Finance & Economics

Multi-Unit Franchise Operators: The Hidden Power Players Running QSR

Flynn Restaurant Group operates 2,600 locations. Sun Holdings runs 1,300. You've never heard of them, but they control more of QSR than most brands. Here's how the mega-operators are quietly taking over the industry.

MAR 20, 2026 · 10 MIN READ
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