A big year for restaurant acquisitions

JAB Holding buys Panera Bread Co.

The year’s biggest deal was valued at $7.5 billion. Read more>>

Restaurant Brands International Inc. buys Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc.

Burger King owner pays record multiple for chicken chain. Read more>>

Arby’s and Roark Capital buy Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.

Surprise deal mergers a sandwich QSR with a full-service chicken wing concept. Read more>>

Darden Restaurants Inc. buys Cheddar’s

Three years after selling Red Lobster, Darden gets back on the acquisition train. Read more>>

NRD Capital buys Ruby Tuesday Inc.

Long-struggling bar & grill chain finally gets taken out of the public limelight. Read more>>

Golden Gate buys Bob Evans Restaurants

Bob Evans decides to focus on packaged goods and sells its restaurant chain. Read more>>

Landry’s buys what’s left of Ignite Restaurant Group Inc.

Tilman Fertitta gets Joe’s Crab Shack back. Read more>>

Advent International buys majority stake in First Watch

The breakfast chain gets more cash to support its continued growth. Read more>>

Freeman Spogli buys Café Rio

Burrito chain had been considered an IPO candidate. Read more>>

Caribou and JAB buy Bruegger’s

Einstein owner collects another bagel chain. Read more>>

Panera, JAB buys Au Bon Pain

Ron Shaich gets his old chain back. Read more>>

Oak Hill Capital Partners buys Checker’s

$525 million deal gives burger chain a new private equity buyer. Read more>>

CapitalSpring takes majority stake in Beef O’Brady’s

Management also bought a bigger piece of the casual dining chain. Read more>>

Global Franchise Group buys Round Table Pizza

Great American Cookies owner adds pizza to its menu. Read more>>

Beekman buys majority stake in Another Broken Egg

Another big breakfast chain gets moved. Read more>>

Roark buys Jim ‘N Nicks

Perpetual restaurant buyer gets itself a barbecue chain. Read more>>

L Catterton buys Uncle Julio’s

Another big restaurant investor gets a 29-unit Mexican casual dining chain. Read more>>

Fat Brands buys Homestyle Dining

Fatburger owner buys Ponderosa, Bonanza owner. Read more>>

Fat Brands buys Hurricane Grill

Fatburger owner makes another deal. Read more>>

Garden Fresh sold to two private equity groups

Owner of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes sold for the second time this year. Read more>>

Hojeij Branded Foods buys Vino Volo

Airport food operations company buys airport wine chain. Read more>>

Private equity groups buy Mooyah Burgers

Better burger concept gets a pair of new owners. Read more>>

Nestle buys majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee

Higher-end coffee market gets another, huge player. Read more>>

Ninety Nine Restaurant to merge with J. Alexander’s

Deal more than doubles the size of the casual dining operator. Read more>>

TPG Growth buys majority stake in Mendocino Farms

Yard House co-founder Harald Herrmann takes over as fast casual chain’s CEO. Read more>>

Yo! Sushi buys Bento Sushi

Big deal rocks the sushi world. Read more>>

MTY buys The Counter

Deal gives the Canadian chain operator yet another American concept. Read more>>

Cleveland Avenue buys PizzaRev

Fund started by former McDonald’s CEO takes a slice of the fast casual pizza business. Read more>>

Private Equity groups acquire Rita’s

600-unit Italian ice chain changes hands again to kick off the new year. Read more>>

Franchisee acquires Pizza Patrón

Store operator takes control of the Hispanic-oriented pizza concept. Read more>>