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☆ Buffalo Wild Wings leans into Go takeout format as a third of sales move off premises
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The 100th location of Buffalo Wild Wings Go opened Wednesday on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. Buffalo Wild Wings opened its 100th Go location on Wednesday in New York City, four years after unveiling the quick-service offshoot of its sports bar chain. Since 2018, Buffalo Wild Wings has been a part of Inspire Brands, which is backed by private equity firm Roark Capital. Buffalo Wild Wings' revenue fell 1% in 2023 to $2.32 billion, according to franchise disclosure documents. Opening a traditional Buffalo Wild Wings location requires anywhere from $2.44 million to $4.83 million in initial investment, depending on the restaurant's location and other factors, according to franchise disclosure documents.

Persons: Jimmy John's, Dunkin, Robbins, Red Robin, Jack Litman Organizations: Buffalo Wild Wings, Manhattan . Buffalo Wild Wings, Inspire Brands, Roark Capital, Baskin, Inspire, Barclays, Munson Group Locations: Side, Manhattan, New York City, BWW

☆ For the 1st time in 7 years, Subway opened more stores than it closed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In 2023, for the first time since 2016, Subway opened more stores than it closed. Subway has closed thousands of stores, resulting in years of decline in net restaurant count. AdvertisementFor the first time since 2016, after years of store closures, Subway finally opened more sites than it shuttered. AdvertisementBut Subway has also been closing thousands of stores, resulting in years of net restaurant-count decline. Restaurant Business previously reported that Subway had closed more than 6,500 restaurants between 2015 and 2022.

Persons: —, Gerardo Mora, It's, Roark Capital, Jimmy John's, Dunkin, Roark, Anne's Organizations: Subway, Service, Business, . Subway, Getty, Subway Subway, North, American, Roark Locations: Mainland China, North America

☆ Subway is adding something big to its menu
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The permanent sides, called Subway Sidekicks, will be available across the US beginning January 22. Sidekicks marks a whole new menu category for Subway, best known for their sandwiches. The additions come from customers demanding more from the menu, according to Douglas Fry, Subway’s North America president. Technomic data shows that Subway also lags in sales for sides and snacks compared to its competitors. Yearly sales at Subway US restaurants are still much lower compared to its sandwich-making rivals.

Persons: Auntie Anne’s, Douglas Fry, “, we’ve, ” Fry, Fry, ”, David Henkes, ” Henkes, doesn’t, Jimmy John’s, Roark Organizations: New, New York CNN, Subway, North America, CNN, “, Sidekicks, US Subway, QSR Magazine, Jersey, Roark Capital Locations: New York, North America

☆ Your local Subway will no longer be allowed to reject digital coupons or avoid footlong sandwich deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Subway franchisees have been able to opt out of deals made through the chain's app. Starting December 28, the chain is forcing franchisees to honor all digital deals. Subway appThe Subway app currently shows a deal for 50 % off a footlong sandwich when you buy one at full price. A Subway franchisee from California questioned the legality of forcing operators to accept low-margin deals via the app. The California franchisee said they honor digital deals to maintain good customer relationships.

Persons: Jimmy John's, —, we've, Roark, Subway's Organizations: Service, Business, Roark Capital, FTC, Subway, Federal Trade Commission, Politico Locations: California

During the third quarter, U.S. dealmaking contributed to a larger-than-usual share of global activity and offset a decline in volumes in Europe and Asia Pacific, accounting for about half of global volumes. Deal volumes in Europe and Asia Pacific fell 31% and 9%, respectively. To date, private equity deal volumes have slumped 48% to $313.73 billion, compared to the same period last year. Deal activity driven by activist shareholders was muted as several big-name activists reached settlements with corporate boardrooms. Dealmaking in technology, which typically accounts for the largest share of deal volumes, has fallen 51% so far this year.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, dealmaking, We're, Melissa Sawyer, Sullivan, Cromwell, dealmakers, headwinds, Tony Kim, Roark Capital's, ”, Andre Kelleners, Goldman Sachs, Naveen Nataraj, Kappa, WestRock, it’s, Rob Kindler, Weiss, Garrison, it'll, Anton Sahazizian, Anirban Sen, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, Cromwell LLP, Asia Pacific, Investment, U.S . Steel, Centerview Partners, U.S . Investment, Evercore Inc, Cisco, Splunk Inc, Fidelity National Information Services, Reuters, Paul, Moelis, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, United States, Europe, Asia, Cleveland, Rifkind, Wharton, New York, London

☆ Subway CEO John Chidsey: Consumers like convenience and speed with quick service
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSubway CEO John Chidsey: Consumers like convenience and speed with quick serviceJohn Chidsey, Subway CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss Subway's sale to Roark Capital Group, the Fed's rate increases producing a challenging financing environment, Roark's professional experience with franchise restaurants, and modernizing restaurants with cashless payments and international expansion.

Persons: John Chidsey Organizations: Subway, Roark Capital Group

☆ I visited 4 Subway locations and saw firsthand what challenges its new owners will face. I found stale bread, bad tuna, and outdated, dirty restaurants.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

We visited four Subway in Southern California to figure out how Roark can fix the brand. So I visited four Subway stores near my Southern California home. It is one of hundreds of Subway stores that have been remodeled over the years. In 2021, The New York Times conducted its lab test and published a report stating that it found no tuna DNA in Subway tuna sandwiches. I ordered the tuna sandwich at a Subway in Santa Ana, California, an aging stand-alone store in a former adobe-style Taco Bell building.

Persons: Roark, Dunkin, Fred DeLuca, Jared Fogle, It's, haven't, Nancy Luna, Burger King, —, Tim Powell, Powell Organizations: Roark Capital, Buffalo Wild Wings, Service, Subway, Royce, Owners, The New York Times, Chapman University Locations: Southern California, Wall, Silicon, Jersey, North America, Miami, Orange , California, Santa Ana , California, Orange

☆ Factbox: Subway to sell itself to Roark Capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 24 (Reuters) - Roark Capital snapped up Subway in a $9.55 billion deal, sources said on Thursday, after it outbid several private-equity groups. The pair then started franchising Subway restaurants, with the first outlet outside of Connecticut being opened in Massachusetts a year later. For 2022, Subway posted a 9.2% year-over-year increase in same-store sales, thanks to its "Subway Series" menu - a lineup of 12 new signature sandwiches. In March, Goldman Sachs' (GS.N) asset management arm, PE firms Bain Capital, TPG, TDR Capital, Advent International and Roark Capital emerged among the list of suitors for the sandwich chain. Reuters reported earlier this week, citing sources that Roark Capital was in the lead to acquire the chain for well over $9 billion after attaching conditions to some of the windfall the two families that own it would get.

Persons: Thomas White, Roark Capital, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, DeLuca, Buck, Arby's, Quiznos, Burger, Jared Fogle, Chidsey, John Chidsey, Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Roark, Deborah Sophia, Granth Vanaik, Varun, Anil D'Silva Organizations: REUTERS, Subway, KFC, Bain Capital, TPG, TDR, Advent International, Roark Capital, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Bridgeport , Connecticut, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Bahrain, Subway, United States, Burger, U.S, North America, Bengaluru

Aug 24 - Subway has agreed to sell itself to private equity firm Roark Capital in a deal valuing the sandwich chain at more than $9 billion, sources said, ending a long-drawn auction that saw several bids from buyout firms. The deal will make Roark Capital one of the largest restaurant operators in the world. It controls Inspire Brands, the owner of restaurant chains including Jimmy John's, Arby's, Baskin-Robbins and Buffalo Wild Wings. Subway said in February it was exploring a possible sale, drawing interest from private equity firms including Roark, Advent International, TDR Capital and TPG as well as Goldman Sachs' asset management arm. The restaurant chain had then hoped to fetch more than $10 billion, owing to its strong brand and international business.

Persons: Roark, Jimmy John's, Neil Saunders, GlobalData, Goldman Sachs, Anirban Sen, Deborah Sophia, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Roark Capital, TDR, Sycamore Partners, Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway, Advent, TDR Capital, TPG, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Subway Sandwich Chain Agrees to Sale to Roark Capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Heather Haddon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, roark

These conditions, known as an earn-out, defer payment on part of the deal consideration, the sources familiar with the matter said. The arrangement helped bridge a gap in the valuation expectations between Roark Capital and the DeLuca and Buck families that own Subway, according to the sources. The deal will make Roark Capital one of the largest restaurant operators in the world. Subway said in February it was exploring a possible sale, drawing interest from private equity firms including Roark, Advent International, TDR Capital and TPG as well as Goldman Sachs' asset management arm. Roark and Subway have 12 months to close the deal, which has a 4% breakup fee, sources said.

Persons: Roark, DeLuca, Buck, Jimmy John's, Neil Saunders, GlobalData, Goldman Sachs, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Deborah Sophia, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Roark Capital, TDR, Sycamore Partners, Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway, Advent, TDR Capital, TPG, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, New York, Bengaluru

Reuters reported on Tuesday on a so-called earn-out agreement that was key to Roark clinching a deal for Subway. Roark prevailed over a rival bidding group led by buyout firms TDR Capital and Sycamore Partners, whose final offer was for $8.75 billion including an earn-out, and $8.25 billion without, the sources said. Roark took the view that the restaurant market is too fragmented for the deal to raise competition concerns, the sources added. Roark and Subway, which announced the deal on Thursday, declined to comment on the terms. Roark currently controls Inspire Brands, the owner of restaurant chains including Jimmy John's, Arby's, Baskin-Robbins and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Persons: Roark, DeLuca, Buck, John's, Jimmy John’s, Jimmy John's, Neil Saunders, Peter Buck, Fred DeLuca, JPMorgan Chase, Sullivan, Cromwell, Weiss, Garrison, Roark Capital, Morgan Stanley, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Deborah Sophia, Greg Roumeliotis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Roark, Reuters, Subway, TDR Capital, Sycamore Partners, Inspire Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, JPMorgan, Cromwell LLP, Thomson Locations: Connecticut, U.S, Bridgeport , Connecticut, The Milford , Connecticut, Rifkind, Wharton, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Subway sandwich chain sells itself to Dunkin' owner Roark Capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In this photo illustration, a Subway meal is seen on a table at a Subway restaurant on January 12, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Roark Capital is buying Subway, ending the sandwich chain's more than five decades of family ownership and marking a new era for the struggling company. Subway dwarfs all of them by number of restaurants, and brings in more annual sales than all but Dunkin'. Through holding company Inspire Brands, Roark owns Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins, Sonic, Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings and Jimmy John's. Roark plans to keep Subway as a separate entity within its portfolio, Subway CEO John Chidsey told the Journal.

Persons: Roark, Dunkin, Robbins, Jimmy John's, Anne's, Carvel, Neil Saunders, John Chidsey, Chidsey, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, Jared Fogle, DeLuca, Buck Organizations: Roark Capital, Subway, TDR, Sycamore Partners, Wall Street, Inspire Brands, Baskin, Buffalo Wild Wings, Focus Brands, Journal ., Business Locations: Austin , Texas, Cinnabon, Connecticut, U.S

☆ Subway is being sold to a massive private-equity firm, finally moving the sandwich chain away from family ownership after nearly 60 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Roark's brands include Arby's, Dunkin', Buffalo Wild Wings, and rival sub store Jimmy John's. Subway is in the midst of a huge rebrand after suffering from a sales slump. Through Inspire Brands, it also owns another sub chain — Jimmy John's — which has more than 2,600 stores. AdvertisementAdvertisementSince the first Subway store opened in 1965, the company has been owned by its two founders, Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck, and their families. The sandwich chain announced last month that it had achieved 10 consecutive quarters of positive sales, including recording its highest weekly average unit volume in North America in the second quarter of 2023.

Persons: Dunkin, Jimmy John's, John Chidsey, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, It's Organizations: Roark, Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Service, Roark Capital, Subway, Inspire Brands Locations: Wall, Silicon, North America

☆ Subway has sold itself to a private equity firm
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Subway has sold itself to private equity firm Roark Capital, ending a six-month long search for a buyer. “This transaction reflects Subway’s long-term growth potential, and the substantial value of our brand and our franchisees around the world,” Subway CEO John Chidsey said in a statement. However, the Wall Street Journal reported the purchase price was “around $9.6 billion,” which would be slightly below the chain’s $10 billion asking price. Despite the sales turnaround, the number of US Subway stores declined to 20,576 last year according to Technomic. Another issue for Roark: Yearly sales at Subway US restaurants are still much lower compared to its sandwich-making rivals.

Persons: Roark Capital, ” Roark, Auntie Anne’s, Carvel, John Chidsey, Roark, Roark’s, Dunkin ’, Jimmy John’s, “ Roark, ”, Neil Saunders, GlobalData, ” Saunders, Trevor Haynes, He’s, Douglas Fry Organizations: New, New York CNN — Subway, Roark, Subway, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, ” Subway, “, Wall Street Journal, ”, Inspire Brands, Inspire, US Subway, QSR Magazine, Jersey, Subway’s North Locations: New York, North America, Subway, Subway’s North America, Canada

A Subway sandwich shop logo is pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York February 14, 2014. These conditions, known as an earn-out, defer payment on part of the deal consideration, the sources said. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Roark Capital was nearing a deal to buy Subway for about $9.6 billion. A spokesperson for Subway declined to comment, while representatives for Roark and TDR did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Roark controls Inspire Brands, owner of the Jimmy John's, Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Rusty Taco and SONIC Drive-In chains.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Roark, DeLuca, Buck, John's, TDR, Sycamore, Goldman Sachs, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, Jimmy John's, Dunkin ’, Rusty Taco, Jimmy John’s, Abigail Summerville, Anirban Sen, Greg Roumeliotis Organizations: REUTERS, TDR, Sycamore Partners, Goldman Sachs, Subway, Street, Roark Capital, Goldman, Inspire Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York, TDR Capital, Bridgeport , Connecticut, The Milford , Connecticut, U.S, Champaign , Illinois

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Subway nears $9.6 bln sale to Arby's owner Roark - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Subway restaurant logo is seen on a napkin in this illustration photo August 30, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 21 (Reuters) - Roark Capital, which owns restaurants Arby's and Buffalo Wild Wings, is nearing a deal to buy sandwich chain Subway for about $9.6 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. Another group led by Roark Capital was in the running, the sources had added. It has invested in Inspire Brands, which is the owner of Arby's, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings and Dunkin' among others. Roark Capital did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Persons: Thomas White, Roark Capital, Roark, Dunkin, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Deborah Sophia, Shinjini Organizations: REUTERS, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wall Street, Reuters, TDR Capital, Sycamore Partners, Subway, Roark Capital, Inspire Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Thomson Locations: Sycamore, Bridgeport , Connecticut, North America, Bengaluru

[1/2] The Subway restaurant logo is seen on a napkin in this illustration photo August 30, 2017. Subway expects to fetch well over $9 billion in a deal, and it remains uncertain whether TDR and Sycamore can meet its price expectations, the sources said. Private equity firm Advent International, which had teamed up with Goldman Sachs Asset Management on a bid for Subway, has dropped out of the process, the sources said. Goldman Sachs (GS.N) may decide to team up with one of the other bidders, the sources added. Subway, Roark and TDR did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Thomas White, Goldman Sachs, Roark, Jimmy John's, Jimmy John’s, TDR, Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck, Anirban Sen, Abigail Summerville, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, TDR Capital, Sycamore Partners, Roark Capital, International, Goldman Sachs, Management, Subway, Bloomberg News, JPMorgan Chase &, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sycamore, Champaign , Illinois, Milford , Connecticut, Bridgeport , Connecticut, The Milford , Connecticut, U.S, New York

☆ Carl's Jr. and Hardee's to roll out Presto's A.I. drive-thru ordering nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Carl's Jr. and Hardee's locations will roll out automated drive-thru ordering nationwide using Presto's artificial intelligence software. Together, Carl's Jr. and Hardee's have about 2,800 restaurants across 44 U.S. states. Hardee's locations are mostly in the Midwest and South, while Carl's Jr. restaurants are found in the West. CKE tested the software last year at a handful of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's locations. CKE operates about 250 of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants, while franchisees run the rest.

☆ Subway comes up with $5 billion debt plan to clinch $10 billion-plus sale, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

This is weighing on how much the private equity firms are offering to buy companies. So far, bids for Subway have ranged between $8.5 billion and $10 billion, one of the sources said. Barclays, a major player in the market for WBS financing, is one of the banks in discussions about long-term financing, the sources said. JPMorgan's financing package also offers the option of a preferred equity component with a roughly 15% interest rate, the sources said. This is a more expensive route that private equity firms may not opt for, three of the sources added.

This is weighing on how much the private equity firms are offering to buy companies. So far, bids for Subway have ranged between $8.5 billion and $10 billion, one of the sources said. This is a more expensive route that private equity firms may not opt for, three of the sources added. To be sure, Subway is allowing bidders to use any financing route they want, as long as they can show they can secure committed financing. TPG and Bain were part of a group that owned Burger King when John Chidsey, who is now Subway's CEO, headed that burger fast-food restaurant chain.

Subway opened in the 1960s and scaled to become one of the largest fast-food chains in the world. The chain took a turn in 2014 when sales declined and after a scandal tied to pitchman Jared Fogle. Despite closing thousands of sub shops, Subway was able to sell itself this week to Roark Capital. In the '80s, '90s, and early 2000s, Subway was expanding rapidly, becoming the world's largest fast-food chain. Keep reading to learn how a company that was on the rise for decades suddenly took a turn for the worse.

Persons: pitchman Jared Fogle, Jared Fogle Organizations: Subway, Roark Capital, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

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