An affiliate of private investment firm Peak Rock Capital purchased Shipley Franchise Company and Shipley Do-Nut Flour & Supply Co., which together franchise and supply product for Shipley Do-Nuts, a chain of around 300 units based in Houston and specializing in doughnuts and kolaches, in early January.

In early January, NPC International, a major Wendy’s and Pizza Hut franchisee which declared bankruptcy in summer 2020, agreed to sell its restaurants and other assets to Flynn Restaurant Group and Wendy’s parent company in two separate transactions. The sale was approved later that month and finalized in March; Delight Restaurant Group also acquired 54 Wendy’s in the deal.

Amici Partners Group LLC finalized the acquisition of Friendly’s Restaurants for an undisclosed amount in mid-January. Former Friendly’s Restaurants owners Sun Capital partners announced the bankruptcy asset sale in November 2020.

Thompson Street Capital Partners acquired Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in early March.

Squarespace continued its mission to provide a full suite of services to its clients with the purchase in late March of Tock, a reservation platform that allows for dynamic pricing as well as takeout and delivery orders.

Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital announced in mid-May the acquisition of Addison, Texas-based, 390-unit bakery chain Nothing Bundt Cakes from Levine Leichtman Capital partners.

Famous Recipe Group LLC agreed to sell its 130-unit quick-service fried chicken chain Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken to a subsidiary of Artemis Lane Partners in late June.

BBQ Holdings Inc., the parent company of Famous Dave’s and Granite City Brewers, agreed to buy VIBSQ Holdco LLC, the parent of Village Inn and Bakers Square, for around $13.5 million in late June.

In late June, Fat Brands announced the intention to acquire Global Franchise Group, which franchises and operates quick-service brands Round Table Pizza, Great American Cookies, Hot Dog on a Stick, Marble Slab Creamery and Pretzelmaker, from Serruya Private Equity, Inc. and Lion Capital LLP for $442.5 million in cash and stock. It was the first of many acquisitions Fat Brands made this year.

Yum Brands and 7-Eleven franchisee Ampex Brands announced in late June the acquisition of bakery-café chain Au Bon Pain from JAB Holding-owned Panera Bread.

Fiesta Restaurant Group sold fast-casual Mexican restaurant Taco Cabana to YTC Enterprisees, an affiliate of 400-unit, Jack in the Box, El Pollo Loco and Denny’s franchisee, Yadav Enterprises, Inc. for $85 million in early July.

SPB Hospitality, parent to Logan’s Roadhouse and several brewery brands, acquired the 47-unit J. Alexander’s Holdings Inc. in a $220 million deal, the companies said in early July.

Southern California-based restaurant chains Tender Greens and Tocaya merged and formed a new parent company called One Table Restaurant Brands, or OTRB, in early August.

Multiconcept operator JAB Holding Co. in early August gathered some of its early daypart brands under one platform with the formation of Panera Brands, a group including Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Sweetgreen announced in late August the acquisition of Spyce, a two-unit lunch bowls concept based out of Boston.

Fat Brands in early September agreed to acquire casual-dining chain Twin Peaks from Garnett Station Partners for $300 million.

BurgerFi International in mid-October announced the intention to acquire Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings for $161.3 million from growth investment firm L Catterton.

Rapid Fired Pizza announced in late October that the company had been acquired for an undisclosed amount by franchisees Mike Kern and Chip Hurst under the company name Pie Guys Restaurants LLC.

Fat Brands announced in early November its intention to acquire fast-casual Italian chain Fazoli’s for $130 million from Sentinel Capital Partners.

Panera Brands said in early November it would return to the public markets in a transaction that would bring in as a cornerstone investor a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, led by New York restaurateur Danny Meyer.

Restaurant Brands International announced in mid-November it would acquire quick-service chain Firehouse Subs for $1 billion in an all-cash deal.

Fat Brands announced in late November the intention to acquire 23-unit Phoenix-based Native Grill & Wings for $20 million from Wingtime, LLC, a subsidiary of Cybeck Capital Partners, LLC.

Fast-casual chin Velvet Taco was sold to private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners L.P., from former majority owner L Catterton, another private equity firm, in late November.

Jack in the Box said in early December it would acquire fellow quick-service chain Del Taco for $12.51 per share, or around $575 million.