Taco Bell Franchise Expansion in Midwest
Southpaw adds 43 Ohio Taco Bell restaurants to its impressive portfolio, highlighting franchise growth and strengthening the Midwest QSR landscape.
Jun 26, 2026
Southpaw adds 43 Ohio Taco Bell restaurants to its impressive portfolio, highlighting franchise growth and strengthening the Midwest QSR landscape.
Jun 26, 2026
Discover how Cicis Pizza's rewards program skyrocketed to over one million members in under a year, driving customer engagement and retention. See the lessons for restaurant loyalty programs.
Jun 26, 2026
Darden Restaurants surpassed $13 billion in sales, fueled by robust performance at LongHorn Steakhouse and innovative menu changes at Olive Garden. Explore the strategies driving this industry giant’s continued dominance.
Jun 26, 2026
The fallout of Pizza Hut's mandated AI delivery system rollout has ignited a $100 million lawsuit from a leading franchisee, highlighting crucial franchisor-franchisee lessons for all restaurant owners.
Jun 26, 2026
Founders Table Restaurant Group acquires fast-casual leader Hopdoddy Burger Bar, expanding its reach to over 200 restaurants and accelerating operational growth across the platform.
Jun 25, 2026
LongHorn Steakhouse surpassed $1 billion in quarterly sales for the first time, driven by strong value perception and menu innovation. Restaurant leaders can draw key lessons for thriving when consumer price sensitivity is high.
Jun 25, 2026
Inspire Brands is preparing for an IPO aiming for a $20B valuation. Discover how giants like Arby’s, Sonic, and Dunkin’ are performing as part of this dynamic portfolio.
Jun 25, 2026
Estepp Energy, known for multi-unit brands like Little Caesars, is adding PJ's Coffee to its Kentucky convenience stores, marking a strategic expansion into specialty coffee.
Jun 24, 2026
Carl's Jr. has launched a "Pass on Jack" marketing campaign rewarding loyalty members with a free Sourdough Star burger for driving past a Jack in the Box to reach a Carl's Jr. location- a direct shot at its California-based burger rival.
Jun 24, 2026
Miso Robotics has acquired Zume Pizza’s technology deck, giving new life to pizza automation and food robotics for forward-thinking restaurant operators.
Jun 24, 2026
Whataburger names a successor as Playa Bowls and Wildflower make waves with new owners; industry tech and drive-thru trends shape the road ahead.
Photo by Paula Vermeulen
Two marquee developments anchor this moment in the restaurant industry. On the corporate front, Whataburger is navigating a planned leadership shift: Ed Nelson will retire at the end of 2024, and Debbie Stroud will take the helm. Simultaneously, a wave of acquisitions signals investors and operators are pursuing scale and strategic repositioning. Playa Bowls, a 250-unit concept built on superfruit bowls, has changed hands to Sycamore Partners, while Wildflower Bread Company’s bakery-restaurant business is being acquired by Create Restaurants Holdings for US$28.2 million. Taken together, these moves sketch a market hungry for scale, efficiency, and new ways to connect with guests.
From a distance, the arc is clear: leadership succession paired with purpose-built deals to boost growth velocity. The Whataburger transition is framed as a deliberate step to shepherd the brand into its next phase while preserving the customer experience that defines the chain. At Playa Bowls and Wildflower, the emphasis is on scalability, new ownership aiming to accelerate expansion across markets, and on how a portfolio of brands can be managed under a shared growth engine. The price tag for Playa Bowls remains undisclosed in initial materials, while Wildflower’s $28.2 million purchase signals a structured, asset-based consolidation in the U.S. market.
In the Playa Bowls transaction, Stefan Kaluzny, Managing Director of Sycamore Partners, said, "Playa Bowls has built a unique category leadership position with passionate customers, a loyal franchise base, and a great brand, which has allowed the company to scale rapidly in its first decade since inception."
"We are excited to be partnering with Sycamore as we take this next step in the Playa Bowls journey," added Dan Harmon, CEO of Playa Bowls, framing the deal as a growth enabler rather than retreat. On the Whataburger side, leadership change is described with board-level support: the chairman publicly acknowledged Nelson’s contributions and the intention to continue the brand’s mission under new stewardship, signaling continuity even as ownership evolves.