The Ownership Ledger

Restaurant ownership research

Follow the ownership. Read the evidence.

Look up who owns a restaurant chain, read the sources, and see dated reports from people who eat there.

Find a chain Submit ownership research

Editorial illustration of an open record book with marked restaurant locations, a magnifying glass, and source documents

Knowing who owns a chain doesn’t prove the food got worse. Every entry shows its source and date so you can judge for yourself.

Why we built this

Restaurants often get worse after a buyout

A private equity firm borrows money to buy a restaurant chain. To pay back the loan, it cuts what the chain spends on food and staff and shelves plans for new menu items and new locations. Then it sells the company, usually before most customers have noticed that the food and service slipped.

We want customers to find out sooner. This site lists who owns each chain and collects dated reports from people who eat there. The deal only makes money if the firm can sell before the decline shows. When customers find out faster, cutting corners stops paying off. That gives an edge to owners who want to run a good restaurant for years.

Research desk

Find a chain. Read its record.

Search by restaurant, parent company, or investment firm. Each record shows the ownership sources and what diners have reported.

Researched chains

Jersey Mike's

Blackstone owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Jersey Mike's
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-28

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Fogo de Chão

Bain Capital Private Equity owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Fogo de Chão
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-27

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Mrs. Fields

Pearl Street Equity owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Famous Brands Franchising
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-27

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Playa Bowls

Sycamore Partners owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Playa Bowls
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-27

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Stacked

Hargett Hunter and TriSpan owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Stacked
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-27

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Togo's

Nimes Capital owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Togo's Eateries Inc.
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-27

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Bob Evans Restaurant

4X4 Capital owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Bob Evans Restaurants
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-16

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Bonchon

Serruya Private Equity owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Bonchon International
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-07

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Bonrue Bakery

Savory Fund owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Bonrue Bakery
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-07

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A Twosome Place

Carlyle Group owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: A Twosome Place
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-01

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Bonefish Grill

Bloomin' Brands owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: Bonefish Grill
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-01

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First Kitchen

Wendy's International owns this chain, according to published reports

Parent company: First Kitchen Co., Ltd.
Evidence: 1 source
Last checked: 2026-10-01

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Recently published

See every chain we track, including ones we haven’t researched yet.

What we can show

Who owns each chain, when the deal was reported, and the sources behind it.

What we can’t prove yet

Whether a chain got worse after it was sold. Diner reports are reviewed one at a time and aren’t treated as proof on their own.