Restaurant Real Estate: Inflation, Profit Margins, and Expansion Strategies

Rising gas prices, persistent inflation, and shifting tax policies are squeezing restaurant profit margins across the country. How are successful operators cutting costs and growing sales despite these economic headwinds? And how do these operational shifts impact retail landlords and commercial real estate investors? In this episode, host Michael Bull sits down with Darren Tristano, CEO of Food Service Results, to deliver a comprehensive briefing on the state of the restaurant industry and its ripple effects on retail real estate. Key topics discussed in this episode: Navigating Macro Pressures: How operators are modifying concepts to combat inflation, fluctuating fuel costs, and evolving legislative changes like the "no tax on tips" movement. Protecting Profit Margins: Actionable marketing and operational strategies used by expanding brands to drive sales while keeping rent-to-revenue ratios healthy. Real Estate & Expansion Trends: Which restaurant concepts are actively taking down space, what landlords must look for in prospective tenants, and where investors are finding yield. Get the boots-on-the-ground market intelligence needed to safeguard your retail investments and restaurant operations. For more market data, sector forecasts, and video episodes, visit CREshow.com. Darren Tristano Food Service Results Michael Bull, CCIM Bull Realty, Inc TCN Worldwide Real Estate Services - A global network of over 1,500 leading commercial real estate professionals delivering integrated, expert sales, leasing, management and consulting services across 200 U.S. and global markets. Buildout - Aconnected software platform built for commercial real estate brokerages—combining CRM, marketing, data, and back-office automation. Bull Realty, TCN Worldwide - Commercial Real Estate Asset & Occupancy Solutions in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast U.S. Commercial Agent Success Strategies - Twenty-one cloud accessed commercial broker training videos with slide deck action notes. Learn more at

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Restaurant Real Estate: Inflation, Profit Margins, and Expansion Strategies is an episode from America‘s Commercial Real Estate Show by Bull Realty.

This episode is 20:10 long.

This episode was published on Jun 4, 2026.

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