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Restaurant QsrM&A Activity
Deal flow, active acquirers, and current market trend - based on 270real disclosed M&A transactions in the restaurant qsr space. Run the calculator below to price your business at current multiples.
State of Restaurant QsrM&A in 2026
The restaurant qsr M&A market is tracked across 270 disclosed transactions in the ExitValue.ai database (199 with EBITDA disclosed, 259 with revenue). The current market trend is stable.
Active acquirers include Smithfield Foods, Inc., Roark Capital, TriArtisan Capital Advisors, LLC, RaceTrac, Inc.. Recent named transactions: Nathan's Famous, Inc. (2026); Dave's Hot Chicken (2025); Denny's Corporation (2025).
Premium valuations in restaurant qsr are driven by 10+ year lease with extension options (unlocks sba buyer financing); multi-unit operations with consistent unit-level economics across locations; documented operations + trained kitchen team (concept transfers without the chef).
What compresses valuations: lease under 7 years remaining (collapses sba-financed buyer pool); labor cost above 35% of revenue (structural margin pressure); owner-as-chef concept (chef mike's bistro problem — owner is the experience).
Source: SEC filings, EDGAR 8-K/S-4, and verified press releases. Run the calculator below to see the specific multiples that apply to your business.
Recent named M&A deals in restaurant qsr
Most-recent disclosed transactions. Click any deal for full detail (multiples, financials, source).
Sourced from SEC filings, EDGAR 8-K/S-4, and verified press releases.
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What drives a premium valuation
- ●10+ year lease with extension options (unlocks SBA buyer financing)
- ●Multi-unit operations with consistent unit-level economics across locations
- ●Documented operations + trained kitchen team (concept transfers without the chef)
What compresses valuation
- ●Lease under 7 years remaining (collapses SBA-financed buyer pool)
- ●Labor cost above 35% of revenue (structural margin pressure)
- ●Owner-as-chef concept (Chef Mike's Bistro problem — owner IS the experience)
Restaurant Qsr valuation: common questions
How is a restaurant qsr business valued?
Restaurant Qsr businesses are valued by benchmarking against comparable completed M&A transactions, then adjusting for the specific business. Owner-operator practices are typically priced on an earnings or seller-discretionary-earnings basis, while businesses at platform scale shift toward institutional earnings-multiple methodology. The ExitValue.ai engine selects the methodology that the comparable deal set actually used and adjusts for margin quality, growth, owner dependency, customer concentration, and recurring-revenue mix.
What drives restaurant qsr valuation?
The biggest value levers in restaurant qsr are recurring or repeat revenue, owner independence (the business runs without the founder), customer diversification (no single client dominates), a credible growth trajectory, and operating-margin quality relative to the vertical. In this space specifically, buyers pay up for 10+ year lease with extension options (unlocks sba buyer financing); multi-unit operations with consistent unit-level economics across locations; documented operations + trained kitchen team (concept transfers without the chef).
How many restaurant qsr M&A deals are tracked?
ExitValue.ai tracks 270 disclosed restaurant qsr M&A transactions, 199 with EBITDA disclosed, 259 with revenue disclosed, sourced from SEC filings, EDGAR 8-K/S-4 documents, and verified press releases and refreshed daily. Current market trend: stable.
Who buys restaurant qsr businesses?
Restaurant Qsr businesses are acquired by strategic acquirers (larger operators in the same space), and private-equity platforms and roll-up consolidators, and unknown. Recent named acquirers include Smithfield Foods, Inc., Roark Capital, TriArtisan Capital Advisors, LLC, RaceTrac, Inc..
What is my restaurant qsr business worth?
Run the ExitValue.ai restaurant qsr calculator to see your business priced against the 270 disclosed restaurant qsr transactions in the database. The engine applies adjustments for margin, growth, owner dependency, customer concentration, and recurring revenue mix to produce a tight range around the most-likely transaction value.
Methodology details: how ExitValue computes valuation ranges · full restaurant qsr calculator