Black Bear Diner
Black Bear Diner is a privately held, family-dining franchise operating roughly 169 bear-themed cabin restaurants across 14 U.S. states under GreyLion ownership, serving generous home-style comfort food across all dayparts to multi-generational families and franchisee partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersRedding, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Black Bear Diner does
Black Bear Diner, Inc. is a privately held family-dining franchise founded in 1995 in Mt. Shasta, California by Bruce Dean and Bob Manley. The company operates approximately 169 restaurants across 14 U.S. states (as of 2025), with a differentiated bear-themed cabin concept that serves generous portions of home-style American comfort food across all three dayparts (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Roughly 90 of the 169 units are franchise-operated by approximately 34 multi-unit franchise partners, while the remaining units are company-owned and used to seed new markets (notably Texas) before franchise handoff.
The business is monetized through a standard franchise model: 4.5% royalty on net sales paid weekly, a 1% national marketing fee, and one-time franchise development fees plus build-out economics of $1.5M-$2M per unit on a standardized 4,600 sq ft prototype with 155 seats. Average unit volumes run approximately $2.7M for franchise units and $2.8M for corporate units, with an average check of $16.50. System-wide sales reached $350M in 2021, and the brand has stated a long-term target of 800 stores. The operational technology stack includes handheld ordering tablets, kitchen display systems, a Wisetail eLearning platform, text-to-apply hiring, daily-pay access, dedicated third-party pickup windows, and site-selection mapping and demographic analytics.
Black Bear Diner has been owned since 2016 by private equity firm GreyLion (formerly PWP Growth Equity). Following a January 2020 CEO transition in which co-founder Bruce Dean became Executive Chairman and Anita Adams (previously CFO of American Blue Ribbon Holdings) was elevated to CEO, the leadership team has been progressively professionalized, most recently with Art Kilmer appointed as COO in August 2024 after running operations at P.F. Chang's. Strategic priorities under current management are eastward geographic expansion led by Texas, non-traditional channel growth via a TravelCenters of America partnership, and franchise development acceleration through multi-unit operators including LVP Restaurant Group, Elite Group, SB Diner, Puget Sound Bears Inc., and National Restaurants Inc.
Black Bear Diner firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black Bear Diner
- Legal name
- Black Bear Diner, Inc.
- Website
- https://blackbeardinerfranchise.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Black Bear Diner is a privately held, family-dining franchise operating roughly 169 bear-themed cabin restaurants across 14 U.S. states under GreyLion ownership, serving generous home-style comfort food across all dayparts to multi-generational families and franchisee partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black Bear Diner industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Family Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)
Keywords
Where Black Bear Diner is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redding
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Black Bear Diner business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Franchise Royalties: Black Bear Diner generates revenue through franchise royalties at 4.5% of net sales, paid weekly by franchise partners.
- National Marketing Fee: 1% of net sales collected from franchisees for brand marketing including traditional media, digital marketing, social media, eClub support, Grand Opening support, and graphic design services.
- Company-Owned Restaurant Sales: Corporate-owned locations generate direct restaurant sales revenue. Corporate AUV hovers around $2.8 million.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Weekly | Franchise Royalty |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Weekly | Marketing Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | One-time | Franchise Development Fee |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | Restaurant Build-Out |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Black Bear Diner product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Bear Diner operates a family-dining restaurant franchise concept serving home-style comfort food in a bear-themed cabin atmosphere, with all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner service and generous portion sizes. The company sells franchise rights to multi-unit operators, supports them with site selection, training, marketing, and operating systems, and seeds new markets with company-owned restaurants before opening them to franchisees.
Product overview
Black Bear Diner operates as a single unified restaurant franchise concept offering family-dining services. The brand centers on a bear-themed, cabin-themed dining experience with generous portions of comfort food served all day. No modular software products or platform architecture exists - the 'product' is the restaurant dining experience and franchise opportunity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Black Bear Diner Restaurant Franchise Family-dining restaurant franchise offering home-style comfort food served across breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a bear-themed cabin atmosphere. Franchisees operate under multi-unit development agreements, paying a 4.5% weekly royalty on net sales and a 1% national marketing fee, and receive site selection, training, marketing, and operational support from Black Bear Diner. Qualification requires $500,000 in liquid capital and $1.5 million in minimum net worth, with build costs ranging from $1.5 million to $2 million per unit.
- Company-Owned Family Dining Restaurants Corporate-owned Black Bear Diner restaurants that serve as proof-of-concept units to seed new geographic markets (currently five corporate units in Texas) before opening them to franchise partners. These locations generate direct restaurant sales revenue with corporate AUVs around $2.8 million and serve as operational benchmarks for franchisees.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average gross sales for franchise restaurants hit $2.7 million in 2022, up from $2.3 million in 2021
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Black Bear Diner
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Black Bear Diner technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Black Bear Diner partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TravelCenters of America (TA)coreStrategic partnership for Black Bear Diner locations at TA travel centers. El Paso location marks sixth with TA, with locations featuring third-party pickup windows and dedicated off-premises operations. Amarillo location is the 5th at TA.
- LVP Restaurant GroupcoreMulti-unit franchise developer operating locations in Kansas, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado. Also counts Dunkin' and Del Taco in its portfolio.
- Elite GroupcoreLongtime franchise development partner signed to identify and construct new locations in California, Texas, and other western states.
- SB DinercoreLongtime franchise development partner signed to identify and construct new franchise locations.
- Puget Sound Bears Inc.coreLongtime franchise development partner for Washington state locations.
- National Restaurants Inc.coreLongtime franchise development partner signed to identify and construct new locations.
- Make-A-WishminorCorporate Make-A-Wish partner, having raised over $1.7 million during the partnership. Save Room For A Wish is the annual fundraiser held each December through limited-time dessert offerings and Wish Star sales.
- Gold Country Wildlife RescueminorPartnership through 3Bears fundraiser focusing on providing rehabilitative care to bears rescued during the 2021 Dixie Fire. Community raised $17,300 for enclosures and facility improvements.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Black Bear Diner competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IHOP: IHOP is a leading family-dining franchise focused heavily on breakfast all day, with a comparable franchise model, comparable average check, and overlapping target customer (multi-generational families). One of Black Bear's most direct category rivals for share of family breakfast occasions.
- Denny's: Denny's is the closest direct competitor — a national family-dining/diner franchise chain serving all-day breakfast and comfort food at similar price points with a similar franchise-heavy operating model. Highly comparable for unit economics, franchise structure, and category dynamics.
- Village Inn: Village Inn is a family-dining diner chain focused on breakfast and comfort food, with similar all-day menu and price-point positioning to Black Bear. Comparable mid-scale casual diner economics.
- Bob Evans: Bob Evans is a family-style comfort-food chain serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with strong rural/suburban presence. Comparable daypart mix, family-casual positioning, and AUV profile to Black Bear Diner.
- Perkins Restaurant & Bakery: Perkins is a family-dining franchise serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an attached bakery concept. Similar three-daypart structure, comparable franchise model, and overlapping diner-style customer base make it a strong direct comparable.
- Cracker Barrel: Cracker Barrel is a family-dining chain with a distinctive themed interior (country store/general store) and comfort-food menu, operating as both corporate and franchised. Conceptually parallel to Black Bear's themed cabin experience and family-focused positioning.
- Waffle House: Waffle House is a 24/7 diner franchise focused on breakfast and comfort food, primarily in the Southeast. Overlaps with Black Bear on breakfast occasions and diner-style family dining, though with a counter-service model.
- Golden Corral: Golden Corral is the largest family-dining chain in the US, offering all-day breakfast and a buffet-heavy value proposition. Directly competes for the same family/value-conscious customer and operates with a similarly franchise-heavy model.
Broad incumbents
- Steak 'n Shake: Steak 'n Shake is a broader casual-dining chain with a long-history franchise model, overlapping family/value diner positioning. While more limited-service focused, it competes for similar casual-dining occasions and franchisee capital.
Emerging players
- First Watch: First Watch is a daytime cafe concept serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch with strong unit economics and a more contemporary brand. Competes for breakfast occasions and represents the type of differentiated, experience-driven casual dining that is taking share from traditional family diners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Black Bear Diner social profiles
Digital presenceBlack Bear Diner financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black Bear Diner leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Black Bear Diner funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black Bear Diner M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Black Bear Diner
What does Black Bear Diner do?
Black Bear Diner operates a family-dining restaurant franchise concept serving home-style comfort food in a bear-themed cabin atmosphere, with all-day breakfast, lunch, and dinner service and generous portion sizes. The company sells franchise rights to multi-unit operators, supports them with site selection, training, marketing, and operating systems, and seeds new markets with company-owned restaurants before opening them to franchisees.
Is Black Bear Diner a public or private company?
Black Bear Diner is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Black Bear Diner founded?
Black Bear Diner was founded in 1995. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Black Bear Diner based?
Black Bear Diner is headquartered in Redding, United States, in the North America region.
How does Black Bear Diner make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Franchise Royalties are the primary driver. The others are national Marketing Fee and company-Owned Restaurant Sales.
Who are Black Bear Diner's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IHOP, Denny's, Village Inn, Bob Evans, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, Cracker Barrel, Waffle House and Golden Corral. Steak 'n Shake is listed as a broad incumbent. First Watch is listed as an emerging player.
Does Black Bear Diner have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black Bear Diner.
What industry is Black Bear Diner in?
Black Bear Diner's product category is Family Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAC, Family-Style Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5812.