New website maps private equity ownership in New York City restaurants
An interactive digital map provides consumers with ownership data for over 5,000 eateries in New York, highlighting the footprint of private equity in the food service industry.
A new website, isitownedbyprivateequity.com, has launched to track the ownership status of restaurants, bars, and cafes across New York City. Created by software developer Davie Liebowitz, the site allows users to identify whether a venue is backed by private equity, venture capital, publicly traded, or privately owned.
The database currently covers more than 5,000 establishments, with data sourced from parent company portfolios, investor filings, and public records. Approximately 28% of the tracked businesses are currently owned or backed by private equity firms. The site also provides historical customer satisfaction data to help consumers observe performance shifts following acquisitions.
Liebowitz stated that the project was developed to increase consumer transparency rather than to cast judgment on specific business models. The site intends to provide objective information for those concerned about corporate consolidation within the hospitality industry.
Future plans for the platform include expanding data coverage to San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as incorporating user-submitted information. Liebowitz also expects to apply this tracking model to other industries frequently targeted by private equity, such as dentistry, real estate, and nursing homes.