Emerging Trends in Restaurant Ownership and Management

Abstract

In a wide-ranging discussion of issues facing the U.S. restaurant industry, two major themes emerged, relating to the need to maintain a community oriented brand and to the tension between growth and the maintenance of brand values and corporate culture. One spark for examining these issues is the changing ownership structure of franchise companies, in which private equity firms have invested in various franchise systems. On the marketing side, roundtable participants considered the importance of connecting the brand to its community.