Close · Multi-Unit Restaurants

Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack for Multi-Unit Restaurants Independent Sponsors

Structuring Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack on multi-unit restaurants deals, with the structure protection and capital connectivity an independent sponsor actually needs.

EV range $8M to $80M EV EBITDA $2M to $14M Audience Independent Sponsor
The deal context

The economics on a multi-unit restaurants platform deal usually hinge on a handful of structural decisions. Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack 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.

The moves

How Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack actually gets structured.

  1. Target senior leverage at 3.0x to 3.5x EBITDA, mezzanine at 1.0x to 1.5x on top.

  2. Negotiate an intercreditor agreement that does not throttle the operator.

  3. Structure mezzanine with PIK toggle and warrants priced into the IRR model.

  4. Confirm covenant headroom of at least 20 percent at close.

  5. In multi-unit restaurants, layer in franchisor LOI letter requested before market as part of the Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack workstream.

The common mistake

Letting the lender pick the intercreditor terms. Those terms decide what the operator can do on day 180.

Jason's take
"The capital stack is a contract, not a spreadsheet. Read every page of every term sheet."
Jason Powell · Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack
Capital after close

The deal is one thing. The capital that opens up after close is another.

After close, the call list for refinancing, recapitalization, and growth equity gets short and known. Jason carries that list.

MONTH 18
Senior refi
MONTH 24
Dividend recap
MONTH 36
Growth equity
YEAR 4–5
Strategic exit
ENGAGE THE PRACTICE

Mezzanine Debt & Capital Stack 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.