Fair request and it was actually the New York Times so my mistake:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/business/too-many-restaur...

Investment banks might not loan to individual restaurants, but they absolutely do loan to chains, as well as to PE firms trying to buy those chains in leveraged buyouts.

huh? https://www.fundera.com/business-loans/guides/restaurant-loa...