Scott Barnett & Associates

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Scott Barnett & Associates SBA is a restaurant consulting firm specializing in "turn arounds". The group is led by Scott Barnett, former restaurant CEO and author of Gumption.

1155 Camino Del Mar
Unit 419
Del Mar, CA 92014

Papa Johns transferred forty-four existing units to a local investment firm. This is becoming a common play in Latin Ame...
10/09/2026

Papa Johns transferred forty-four existing units to a local investment firm. This is becoming a common play in Latin America. The brand keeps the standards, the capital partner brings market knowledge and balance sheet, and the operating talent gets hired underneath. Worth watching how quickly they add units.

Papa Johns today announced that KM Capital has joined the Papa Johns brand as the new franchise partner in Mexico. KM Capital will assume leadership of 44 existing franchised restaurants across the country, bringing a renewed focus on commercial growth, operational excellence, innovation and deliver...

Note the structure here: a joint venture with a local operator that already runs Shake Shack and Dunkin' in Korea, not a...
09/30/2026

Note the structure here: a joint venture with a local operator that already runs Shake Shack and Dunkin' in Korea, not a straight franchise deal. Chipotle is calling Seoul a "reference market," which suggests that Singapore and the rest of Asia will be modeled on what they learn from the first three units.

The fast-casual Mexican chain’s first restaurant on the continent is in Seoul, South Korea, in partnership with Sangmidang Holdings.

The takeaway this year is not that restaurant growth stopped. It is that it moved.Mature systems are closing underperfor...
08/13/2026

The takeaway this year is not that restaurant growth stopped. It is that it moved.

Mature systems are closing underperformers. Meanwhile challenger and international brands are signing development deals: Jollibee is targeting 330 U.S. units by 2030, up from 81 at the start of this year.

From chicken chains to frozen custard joints, growing restaurant concepts are working to accelerate their store development in 2026.

Here are two very different stories in the same industry in the same month. At least 10 multi-unit franchisees have file...
08/11/2026

Here are two very different stories in the same industry in the same month. At least 10 multi-unit franchisees have filed for bankruptcy protection so far this year, more than in all of 2025. Meanwhile, Jersey Mike's, the franchisor, priced a $1 billion IPO.

The gap is the point. Investors are paying a premium for royalty streams and asset-light economics. They are not paying for the business of actually running restaurants.

The Bottom Line: More restaurant franchisees have declared bankruptcy so far this year than in all of 2025. And more of those filings

Worth a read for anyone thinking about an exit in the next two years.Ten years ago, two units and a good story could get...
08/06/2026

Worth a read for anyone thinking about an exit in the next two years.

Ten years ago, two units and a good story could get you bought. That market is gone.

Today's multiples tell it: casual dining 5 to 10x EBITDA, fast casual 8 to 13x, QSR 10 to 20x. All of it down from a decade ago, driven by a sector that got overbuilt chasing the next big thing.

The deals still getting done are the ones where the fundamentals hold up under actual diligence.

Harrington Park Advisors' Ashish Seth outlines what drives valuations today, and why operators need more than optimism to close deals.

Jersey Mike's just landed the largest restaurant IPO in about two decades, priced at $23 per share and raising about$1 b...
08/04/2026

Jersey Mike's just landed the largest restaurant IPO in about two decades, priced at $23 per share and raising about$1 billion. Already at roughly 3,300 units, the company says it sees room for 7,500 in the U.S. and 15,000 globally.

The sub sandwich chain will begin selling Class A common stock at $23 per share in the largest restaurant initial public offering since 2021.

McDonald's laid out its "next" strategy: better food quality, improved restaurant interiors, and a renewed focus on hosp...
07/14/2026

McDonald's laid out its "next" strategy: better food quality, improved restaurant interiors, and a renewed focus on hospitality. Here's a look at how the world's biggest chain is responding to traffic declines and competitive pressure from value-focused rivals.

The McDonald’s > NEXT plan focuses on improving food quality and taste, customer experiences, restaurant interiors and hospitality.  

Wonder is partnering with Zipline to offer drone delivery across its 100+ planned Texas stores by the end of 2027. The p...
07/09/2026

Wonder is partnering with Zipline to offer drone delivery across its 100+ planned Texas stores by the end of 2027. The process is simple. Staff load orders into a Zipline Dropbox, and the drone handles everything from there. Interesting that Wonder is simultaneously testing with a different drone company (Dexa) in New Jersey, suggesting they're not betting on a single provider as the technology matures.

https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/articles/wonder-zipline-partner-drone-delivery-143009344.html

Explore the latest news and expert commentary on Fast Casual, brought to you by the editors of Nation’s Restaurant News

The Panera Brands-owned chain is targeting 1,000+ units by 2030, riding a wave of growing consumer interest in bagels. I...
07/07/2026

The Panera Brands-owned chain is targeting 1,000+ units by 2030, riding a wave of growing consumer interest in bagels. It's launching a new store prototype called "Elevate the Morning" built for scalable franchising, with visits by under-35 loyalty members up 22% YoY.

Einstein Bros. Bagels plans to open over 300 new bakeries by 2030, surpassing 1,000 locations as the U.S. bagel category hits $5.8 billion in value.

Here's a refreshingly grounded take on restaurant tech strategy. After upgrading its POS and kitchen display systems, Da...
07/02/2026

Here's a refreshingly grounded take on restaurant tech strategy. After upgrading its POS and kitchen display systems, Dave's CTO is taking a measured approach to AI and automation: waiting for the tech to mature before deploying it guest-facing.

After successfully upgrading its point of sale and kitchen display tech, Dave’s is waiting for other tech to mature, the brand’s chief technology officer said.

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Services Available In:
Del Mar, CA
92014

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 6pm
Sunday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+16199257000

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