FOCUS Food and Beverage Managing Directors Mike McCraw and Jim Sowers recently attended the Restaurant Finance & Development Conference, a top industry event that attracts restaurant owners, operators, and financial executives from across the U.S. From sessions covering exit planning to growth strategies for acquisitions, the conference offered attendees time to catch up on the state of restaurants and the capital markets.
While the RFDC’s packed agenda covered many topics and trends, a main theme surfaced throughout the sessions – after a tough year for the restaurant industry, owners and operators are optimistic for what’s to come in 2025. Sales are improving from the lows of the summer months. Interest rates are falling, making it cheaper to finance new locations and in turn, fuel growth. New concepts continue to emerge, appealing to consumers’ evolving tastes.
From an improving M&A market to tech tools leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), key takeaways from RFDC include:
Buyers are keen on franchise concepts
Valuations have taken a hit, but quality assets continue to trade at a premium
Tech investments are helping boost the bottom line
The outlook on M&A is cautiously optimistic
To learn more about the above topics, including restaurant valuation trends, and other sessions that were featured during the 2024 Restaurant Finance & Development Conference, please contact Mike McCraw at [email protected] or Jim Sowers at [email protected].