Restaurant Market Update | Cap Rate Trends

Net leased restaurants had a home-run year in 2016!

Although net-leased inventory increased over the past twelve months, more buyers entered the market and the inventory could not keep pace with the demand, which had a positive impact on both cap rates and values. The fact is that property values are higher today than they were at the last market peak and it is not entirely due to higher rents. The average cap rate in 2016 is over 130 bps lower than the historical 10-year average. As interest rates begin to creep upwards moving into 2017, it is expected that cap rates will rise as a result. However, although cap rates across the board are expected to rise between 25 bps and 50 bps over the next 12 months, demand for net-leased restaurants is expected to remain, which should yield another busy year in 2017.

Check out the trailing 12 stats below for some of the strongest QSR brands in the marketplace today.

McDonald’s and Chick-Fil-A maintained the lowest cap rates in the marketplace, while Starbucks held the highest price per foot on a sale, which is closely tied to the high rents they are willing to pay for their locations. Quick Service Restaurants as a net-leased investment continue to be in high demand for investors primarily due to their passive nature and small price point. High performing QSR brands like McDonald’s and Chick-Fil-A are aggressively traded because in addition to the strength of their guarantees, they maintain a business model that affords a fairly low rent per square foot. This allows an investor to replace the cash flow stream if the property were ever to become vacant.

Although full service restaurants operate under a variety of business models with various preferred demographics, the average cap rate for some of the biggest and best performing brands landed around the same range (See graph below for details). Carrabba’s (Bloomin’ Brands) and Red Lobster (Darden) held the highest price points in 2016 sales, while IHOP maintained some of the highest paid rents across the sector. The larger footprint of these buildings yields a higher rent, which is why the price point on full service restaurant net-leased deals is typically double the price point on QSR properties. Over the past year, most of these transactions were all cash deals because despite the low interest rate market, financing often times created negative leverage.

Demand remains strong in the restaurant net-leased sector and although the average rent per square foot has crept upward over the past 12 months, new long-term leases being signed are being closely critiqued by tenants to ensure they do not spread themselves too thin in the event of another downturn. Values remain the highest they have ever been, while cap rates remain more compressed than in the last market peak. Both buyers and sellers should remain bullish in the current market as prices in this market are still extremely aggressive compared to the historical 10-year average and the net-leased opportunities on the market offer a long-term passive cash flow stream often with a hedge against inflation via regular rental increases.

Whether or not you plan on transacting in 2017, I am always available a specialized restaurant net-leased expert and resource for market information. It is my mission to ensure you have the tools necessary to proactively plan your long-term investment strategy. For more detailed research specific to your property or market, give me a call directly to discuss how I can help.