Diligence · Multi-Unit Restaurants

Independent Sponsor Regulatory Diligence in Multi-Unit Restaurants

Securities and M&A counsel for independent sponsors conducting multi-unit restaurants transactions, from LOI to close to the capital markets that open up afterward.

EV range $8M to $80M EV EBITDA $2M to $14M Audience Buy-side / Sponsor
The deal context

Multi-Unit Restaurants deals in the lower middle market run a specific playbook. Regulatory Diligence is where the structure either holds or starts to leak.

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 Regulatory Diligence actually gets structured.

  1. Map every license and permit, with renewal dates and transfer mechanics.

  2. Identify regulatory consent requirements that require pre-close filings.

  3. Address pending or threatened regulatory actions in the disclosure schedules.

  4. Plan the post-close regulatory calendar with the operating team.

  5. In multi-unit restaurants, layer in franchisor LOI letter requested before market as part of the Regulatory Diligence workstream.

The common mistake

Treating regulatory diligence as a sub-section. In regulated industries, it is the whole deal.

Jason's take
"Regulatory continuity is the closing condition that fails most often. Diligence it first, not last."
Jason Powell · Regulatory Diligence
Capital after close

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

The capital that opens up post-close, from refinancing to growth equity to strategic exit, runs through a small set of Wall Street relationships. That network is built in.

MONTH 18
Senior refi
MONTH 24
Dividend recap
MONTH 36
Growth equity
YEAR 4–5
Strategic exit
WORK WITH JASON

Bring the multi-unit restaurants deal. Get Regulatory Diligence done right.

Direct counsel from a securities and M&A attorney with billions in structured transactions, the independent-sponsor-native playbook, and the capital markets network that opens up post-close.