Independent Sponsor Management Incentive Plans (MIP) in Multi-Unit Restaurants
Structuring Management Incentive Plans (MIP) on multi-unit restaurants deals, with the structure protection and capital connectivity an independent sponsor actually needs.
The economics on a multi-unit restaurants platform deal usually hinge on a handful of structural decisions. Management Incentive Plans (MIP) is one of them.
The typical multi-unit restaurants platform sits at $8M to $80M EV with EBITDA in the $2M to $14M range. The thesis runs on franchisee roll-up or regional concept acquisition. The franchisor consent letter is the deal. Get it lined up before you spend money on diligence.
How Management Incentive Plans (MIP) actually gets structured.
Size the MIP at 10 to 15 percent of post-close equity, with 60 percent time-vested and 40 percent performance-vested.
Use profits interests for tax efficiency, with a clear strike value at grant.
Build double-trigger acceleration on change of control plus termination.
Document the MIP in the LLC operating agreement, not in a separate plan only.
In multi-unit restaurants, layer in franchisor LOI letter requested before market as part of the Management Incentive Plans (MIP) workstream.
Promising the MIP percentage in the LOI without modeling the impact on the LP waterfall. The LP finds out and the deal stalls.
"MIPs are the cheapest retention tool you have. Use them deliberately, document them precisely."Jason Powell · Management Incentive Plans (MIP)
The deal is one thing. The capital that opens up after close is another.
Refinancing, recaps, growth rounds, and the right strategic conversation eighteen months early are all downstream of relationships that take years to build and minutes to use.
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Management Incentive Plans (MIP) for Multi-Unit Restaurants, on independent sponsor terms.
Independent sponsor counsel that already speaks fluent deal-by-deal economics, structures clean LPAs, and travels with capital markets relationships for what comes after close.