Cramer counts Chipotle, Darden as a “Final Man Standing” restaurant

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Monday released a list of stocks he expects to benefit from the “last man standing scenario”.

“After a year of slaughter, large companies with deep pockets are triumphing over their smaller competitors who didn’t make it,” said the Mad Money host.

The scenario will play out briskly in the restaurant industry, Cramer said.

Last year, more than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed temporarily or permanently during the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact resulted in the loss of 2.5 million jobs in the industry, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Coronavirus restrictions in New York City also pushed Cramer to close the doors of his two Brooklyn neighborhood restaurants until coronavirus vaccines spread and the U.S. health crisis came under control.

“As a restaurant owner, I can tell you that companies like Darden and Chipotle are now getting stakes in empty storefronts,” he said.

In addition to Chiptole and Darden, the parent company of Olive Garden, Cramer pointed to Cheesecake Factory, Yum Brands, Texas Roadhouse and Starbucks as beneficiaries of the current environment.

“Now that tens of thousands of small businesses have gone down so sadly and unfortunately, their bigger rivals are the last of the men, which means they will make a fortune as the country reopens because there is no one left to challenge them.” “”