Thu, 30 Jan 2025

Sports bar chain Twin Peaks is going public. These restaurant companies are the next to watch

IPO experts are expecting more companies to go public this year than last year, and restaurants including Panera and Fogo de Chao are considering offerings.

* Twin Peaks, a sports bar chain, starts trading on Nasdaq Thursday under the ticker "TWNP", marking the first restaurant IPO of 2025.
* The company's owner, Fat Brands, is spinning off Twin Peaks and plans to use the cash to pay off debt.
* Other restaurant companies watching the IPO market include Panera Brands (owner of Panera Bread and Einstein Bros. Bagels), Fogo de Chao (a Brazilian steakhouse chain), and Inspire Brands (a conglomerate with brands like Arby's, Jimmy John's, and Dunkin').
* Panera has confidentially filed to go public but its CEO recently resigned and the company's leadership is in flux.
* Fogo de Chao plans to open 15 new restaurants this year and will consider going public when the market is ready.
* Inspire Brands has been identified as a potential IPO candidate, with a valuation of $20 billion, but there have been no updates on its IPO plans since early-stage discussions last year.
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