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Why we love this deal

When it comes to personal electronics, versatility is the name of the game. If you have a tablet that converts to a laptop and vice versa, then you’ve found a real diamond in the rough. While a standard laptop is useful, it’s not quite as portable as a lightweight tablet. The ability to go from work to entertainment and back again is priceless for those of us firmly ensconced in the digital age. We found a device that can do this and more at Amazon, and it’s available at a big discount. This is a deal that we can’t ignore, and we think you shouldn’t either. 

The Eduaitablet Android 16 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet is on sale for only $75, making it an impressive under-$100 laptop deal. If you want a personal electronic device that can do just about anything you need and go anywhere you go, then this is a great buy.

Eduaitablet Android 16 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $75 at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at Amazon

Why do shoppers love it?

This tablet offers all the benefits of a full-sized laptop with none of the heft or hassle. It has 16 gigabytes (GB) of RAM and 32 GB of ROM for all your memory needs. What’s more, it has an expandable capacity of up to a full terabyte using the MicroSD expansion port. That means you can have multiple apps or programs open at the same time without lagging and freezing. The 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex processor delivers the speed that you need for both work and play.

The tablet has a 10.1-inch HD display with a resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels that displays millions of colors. It also has Widevine L1 capabilities, which means you can use Netflix, HULU, and most other streaming services with reckless abandon. The laptop has both front and rear cameras, making it a great choice for social media sharing as well. You get six full hours of playback on the rechargeable battery, which is far better than many other models in this price range.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of this handy device is the highly intuitive Android 16 operating system. It’s one of the most advanced interfaces available, and the AI-enabled functions add even more value to an already-impressive slate of specs. It has predictive program access and even an AI-enabled theft protection system. The tablet is also available in two colorways and includes a wraparound case, wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, and a stylus. You’ll have everything you need for work and play.

Related: Walmart’s $117 2-in-1 tablet and laptop comes with 7 accessories

Details to know

Processor: 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex processor.

Memory: 16 GB of RAM, 32 GB of ROM, expandable to 1 TB.

Screen size: 10.1 inches.

Operating system: Android 16.

Amazon shoppers were very happy with this tablet. One called it a “great tablet for the price,” adding that it was “easy to set up, works smoothly, and the screen looks great. The keyboard and accessories are a nice bonus.”

Shop more deals 

Yleebg 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $90 (was $110) at Amazon

ZZB 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $62 at Amazon

Aobante 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $130 at Amazon

If you want a personal electronic device that can do anything you could possibly ask of it, then consider buying the Eduaitablet Android 16 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet. At just $75, this may be the best possible bargain on a laptop computer available. Just don’t wait too long, as there’s no telling when the price may go back up. 

I always felt uncomfortable at the gym, even though I love working out. There’s that preconception that everyone there should look amazing, have a six-pack and know exactly what they are doing. 

For years, Planet Fitness was trying to address this issue by offering and promoting a “Judgement Free Zone.” The chain has dominated the budget-friendly fitness industry, targeting the casual, first-time gym goer, and expanding to more than 2,900 locations nationwide. 

That strategy helped fuel Planet Fitness’s growth, but recent results suggest the company is finding it harder to sustain membership momentum.

Recent reports suggest that the fitness giant is dealing with a few headwinds of its own, due to shifts in consumer behavior, and recent gym closures are only a small piece of the puzzle. 

Planet Fitness faces “internal and external headwinds”

Signs of weaker-than-expected membership growth emerged in the company’s financial results earlier this year.

During the first-quarter earnings release in May 2026, management admitted they experienced a “slower-than-expected start from a net member growth perspective.”

Facing what the company described as “internal and external headwinds” during the critical New Year resolution sign-up period, Planet Fitness was forced into a sudden retreat. Management abruptly paused a planned price increase on its premium Black Card tier, stating they needed to conduct a “broader pricing review” to avoid scaring off increasingly price-sensitive shoppers.

Then, the second-quarter earnings reported in August painted a clearer picture. The fitness giant reported a positive 1.7% increase in system-wide same-club sales. However, Planet Fitness noted that 1.7% growth was driven entirely by rate increases (higher prices), not by volume increases. 

The data suggest the gym chain is battling a stall in new memberships. Moreover, the management said it expects same-club sales growth to keep moderating.

“We anticipate quarterly same club sales growth to moderate sequentially as we move through the year,” CFO Sudhanshu Priyadarshi told investors on the August call, according to a transcript provided by The Motley Fool. 

More recently, it was confirmed that the fitness chain will close five locations. 

Planet Fitness faces “internal and external headwind.”Bernard Weil / Getty Images

Planet Fitness to close five locations across different states 

Planet Fitness is shutting a handful of locations across five U.S. states, according to a recent report by Inc. Magazine. 

The confirmed closures for late 2026 include gyms in:

New York (25 Broadway, New York, NY)

Florida (2101 N University Drive, Coral Springs, FL)

Indiana (1129 N Baldwin Avenue, Marion, IN)

Vermont (530 Community Drive, South Burlington, VT)

South Carolina (601 Belle Station Boulevard, Mount Pleasant, SC – temporarily closed)

While closing a few gyms in a system of thousands is typically a sign of a standard real estate churn, one franchise attorney suggests Planet Fitness closures also point to a broader macroeconomic problem.

“What the closures do show is that the easy growth phase is over, even for the industry leader. Planet Fitness has spent years capturing the casual, first-time gym-goer in most U.S. markets, and many of those people are already members or have already tried it and quit,” franchise attorney Beverly Bradshaw recently told Inc. Magazine.

Bradshaw notes that rising competition from newer budget gyms makes a slow start to the year difficult to overcome, especially since closing locations still leaves franchisees on the hook for 10- to 15-year lease liabilities.

Meanwhile, required equipment upgrades and other franchise-related costs are putting pressure on franchisee margins, particularly where membership growth is weak. Because of this, she argues that individual club profitability, not adding new locations, is the true indicator of the brand’s financial health.

Planet Fitness changes strategy and tests a national $10 Classic Card promotion 

With membership growth coming in below expectations and consumers remaining sensitive to prices, Planet Fitness is testing a different approach to attracting new members. Rather than permanently reversing its previous price increases, the company plans to run a limited-time national promotion to measure demand and regional price sensitivity.

During the Q2 call, CEO Colleen Keating revealed that the brand would “test a national $10 Classic Card promotion later this quarter to evaluate regional price elasticity and demand indicators.”

Management noted on the Q2 call that Gen Z is now the fastest-growing proportion of their membership base, heavily driven by their “High School Summer Pass” program, which logged 12 million workouts this year alone.

Wall Street analysts question the possibility of a discount trap 

During the earnings call, TD Cowen’s analyst Maksim Rakhlenko raised concerns that frequent rollbacks could create “shadow pricing,” a trap where bargain-hunting shoppers get used to sales and refuse to ever pay full price again.

Rakhlenko also asked the management how it will “maintain the $15 classic card members from not quitting and rejoining at $10.” 

Management pushed back on concerns that the $10 promotion would cannibalize full-price memberships, emphasizing that it would be a limited-time national promotion rather than a permanent reduction in the Classic Card’s standard price.

Both CEO Colleen Keating and former Interim CFO Thomas Fitzgerald noted that previous localized testing and historical data from 2024 showed virtually zero existing members downgrading or “trading down” from the standard $15 tier to the $10 rate during promotional windows.

Consumers are not abandoning fitness, but they are changing where they spend the money 

Survey data suggest that Americans continue to prioritize fitness spending, even as they reassess their household budgets.

According to the Health & Fitness Association (HFA), approximately 82 million Americans planned to spend a combined $60 billion on health, fitness, and exercise in 2026. When forced to cut costs, 44% of consumers said they would scale back dining out and 36% pointed to travel. Only 23% said they would trim their fitness spending.

“Americans are not just setting fitness goals; they are budgeting for them. This research shows that people increasingly see exercise as an essential investment in their long-term health,” said HFA President and CEO Liz Clark. 

However, where that money goes is shifting. Growing interest in boutique fitness, recovery amenities, and specialized strength training is reshaping parts of the fitness industry.

“Boutique fitness is experiencing one of the strongest growth periods we’ve seen, with record openings from existing brands and new names,” according to the Health & Fitness Association’s industry trends analysis. 

For a mass-market brand like Planet Fitness, that means surviving the next era requires more than just competing on price; it means providing consumers exactly what they need. 

Related: The last mall music chain, FYE, keeps shrinking

Radio host and bestselling personal finance author Dave Ramsey shares his recommended strategy for American workers who invest in 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)s, but his advice comes with a blunt warning.

“The hardest part is investing consistently,” he wrote. “in other words, behaving yourself.”

“But you should only start saving for retirement once you’re completely out of debt and have a fully funded emergency fund in place,” Ramsey added. “If you still have consumer debt lying around, pause all your investing until you pay it off.”

It’s important for me to note that while Ramsey advocates stopping all retirement savings until non-mortgage debt is cleared, many financial planners argue workers should still contribute enough to capture an employer match, as a 100% match provides an instant return that few debt interest rates can match.

Regarding 401(k) accounts, Ramsey urges people to begin contributing right away and take any available employer match. And he recommends using a Roth 401(k) if one is offered, so taxes are already paid and one’s investments grow tax-free.

“If your employer matches your contributions (and most do), that means when you put money into your account, they do too,” Ramsey wrote. “It’s essentially free money added to your investment — so take advantage of it.”

Ashley Akin, CPA at RKO Tax, told me about the negative impact of one mistake people make regarding employee matches.

“If your employer offers a 401(k) match, not contributing enough to receive the full match can mean leaving part of your compensation on the table,” she said. “Before worrying about more advanced retirement strategies, it often makes sense to understand exactly how your company’s matching formula works and what you need to contribute to take full advantage of it.”

Ramsey also suggests another strategy using a Roth IRA.

“The best tool you can use for investing beyond your 401(k) is a Roth IRA,” Ramsey wrote.

“Like the Roth 401(k), a Roth IRA is funded with after-tax contributions — meaning there’s no tax break now, but you do get tax-free growth and withdrawals later,” he added.

IRS explains 401(k), IRA contribution limits

Those contributions do have limits. They are higher for 401(k) plans than for IRAs.

“The amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2026 has increased to $24,500, up from $23,500 for 2025,” wrote the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

“The limit on annual contributions to an IRA is increased to $7,500 from $7,000,” added the IRS. “The IRA catch‑up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over was amended under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) to include an annual cost‑of‑living adjustment is increased to $1,100, up from $1,000 for 2025.”

Also under SECURE 2.0 rules, employees aged 60 through 63 can make larger catch-up contributions to their retirement plans.

“For 2026, this higher catch-up contribution limit remains $11,250 instead of the $8,000 noted above,” wrote the IRS.

Dave Ramsey clarifies strategy on combining 401(k)s with Roth IRAs

Ramsey shared his strategy for combining one’s workplace 401(k) with a Roth IRA. I will explain Ramsey’s thinking first, and then provide a real world scenario using my own calculations to help illustrate how to use this method with real-world dollar amounts.

To optimize retirement savings, an investor should begin by contributing enough to their 401(k) to capture the full employer match, securing an immediate return on those dollars as essentially free money, according to Ramsey.

Once that match is captured, they should focus on fully funding a Roth IRA up to the annual limit to capitalize on tax-free investment growth and the flexibility of penalty-free contribution withdrawals.

Finally, Ramsey explains, any remaining savings should be redirected back into the 401(k) to continue building tax-advantaged wealth until total retirement contributions reach at least 15% of their annual income.

More on personal finance:

Charles Schwab, Fidelity alert workers to forced 401(k) rule

Dave Ramsey warns Americans on 401(k)s, IRAs (he’s not wrong)

Congress research arm sounds alarm on 401(k), IRA penalty

“When you invest in your workplace 401(k) and a Roth IRA, you combine the power of the match in your workplace 401(k) with the tax-free withdrawals and flexible fund options of a Roth IRA,” Ramsey wrote.

“That’s a winning combo.”

Personal finance author Dave Ramsey issued a straightforward warning to 401(k) and IRA investors while outlining an essential strategy to maximize their retirement savings.Shutterstock

Real-world 401(k), Roth IRA scenario

When following the 15% retirement guideline based on an annual salary of $75,000, I calculated that the total target investment comes out to $11,250 per year ($75,000 × 0.15).

First, you would secure the entire employer match by allocating 4% of your salary — or $3,000 — to your 401(k) ($75,000 × 0.04), leaving $8,250 remaining toward your goal.

Next, maximize your Roth IRA by contributing the full $7,500 annual limit, taking advantage of post-tax growth and penalty-free principal withdrawals, which leaves a balance of $750 to be invested ($8,250 − $7,500).

Finally, redirect that remaining $750 back into your 401(k) (bringing total 401(k) contributions to $3,750, or 5% of pay) to hit the complete $11,250 annual savings target.

“Bottom line,” Ramsey wrote. “Your 401(k) and a Roth IRA complement each other really well.”

“Put them to work together to help you make the most of the stock market’s growth, limit your risk, and save for a secure future.”

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individualized tax or investment advice.

Related: Dave Ramsey warns 401(k), IRA savers on IRS 5-year rule

Your phone bill is one of the few monthly costs you rarely question.

You pick a carrier, sign up and pay roughly the same amount for years. That works for the companies because only a handful of them own the towers that carry your calls.

So when a new player threatens to build its own network, it gets attention fast. More competition usually brings prices down.

Wall Street noticed it first. The threat already wiped billions of dollars off telecom stocks this month.

Now the head of Verizon has put a price on the challenge. In his telling, the bill is enormous.

Verizon (VZ) CEO Dan Schulman said SpaceX will need at least four to six years and between $300 billion and $500 billion to build out a full Starlink Mobile carrier network in the U.S. He made the comments on Verizon’s third-quarter earnings call on Oct. 26, answering a question from Citi analyst Michael Rollins.

Schulman said he was working “under the assumption that everything SpaceX says they will do, they will do, and that they will execute flawlessly.”

Dan Schulman said Starlink Mobile would need 4–6 years and $300 billion–$500 billion to compete with Verizon.Al Drago / Getty Images

What Verizon’s CEO said about Starlink Mobile

Schulman’s central argument is about physics and money. “Their service just can’t compete with a terrestrial network,” he said on the call.

More Telecommunications:

SpaceX has a plan to make your phone carrier obsolete

T-Mobile pushes back on SpaceX’s bid to take its customers

Verizon launches generous customer perks after raising prices

In suburban and urban areas, where about 98% of Verizon’s revenue comes from, the company is “somewhere between 100 to 1,000 times more efficient” than satellite service, Schulman said.

He then walked through what a ground network would take:

Sites: SpaceX would need to cover 65,000 to 80,000 macro cell sites.

Equipment: It would need backhaul, radio access network gear and “a tremendous amount of spectrum.”

Time: “It’s going to take a minimum of four to six years to fully build that out,” he said.

Cost: He put the bill at “somewhere between $300 billion and half a trillion” over roughly the next seven or eight years.

Everything else: SpaceX would also need retail stores, customer service and back-office systems.

“There’s no magic wand. There’s no secret sauce. There’s no shortcut,” Schulman said.

All of that, he argued, only gets SpaceX “basically the same network and same capabilities and same cost structure as what we have today.”

Why Schulman calls SpaceX a ‘sixth’ competitor

Schulman also pushed back on the idea that SpaceX would shake up a three-carrier market. If the build-out works, SpaceX could become “the sixth, not the fourth, the sixth competitor in the market,” he said.

He shut one door outright. Verizon sees no benefit in extending a wholesale network deal, known as an MVNO, to a satellite provider, and “there are no back doors to any of our MVNO agreements,” Schulman said on the call.

Related: AT&T CEO holds firm stance on Elon Musk’s SpaceX phone strategy

Verizon isn’t planning to wait around either. “Four to five years from now, we will be two to three generations better than where we are today,” he said, pointing to the company’s millimeter-wave spectrum and early 6G work.

He isn’t alone. AT&T CEO John Stankey has said direct-to-cell satellite is “solving the last 2%, not trying to come up with a new way to solve the 98%,” according to Forbes.

“It’s very hard to throw a punch against something that doesn’t exist,” Schulman added.

What SpaceX is actually building

SpaceX has been clear about its goal. At SpaceX’s recent earnings call, President Gwynne Shotwell said Starlink is on a path to becoming a “major mobile carrier in the US.”

The company is in talks with tower operators for access to about 80,000 U.S. cell sites, Bloomberg reported, according to Light Reading. That lines up closely with Schulman’s own estimate.

Spectrum is the bigger gap. Evercore counts about 79 MHz at SpaceX, compared with 280 to 380 MHz for each of the big three carriers, TIKR reported.

SpaceX also agreed this month to buy up to 14 MHz of paired 800 MHz low-band spectrum from Grain Management, for a direct-to-device service expected to launch in early 2028, Mobile World Live reported.

Musk has brushed off the skeptics. “Veterans of the cellular industry look at the chess board of existing pieces and don’t see a solution,” he wrote on X on Oct. 20.

What the threat has done to Verizon stock

Investors aren’t treating the threat as hypothetical. Verizon shares closed down 10.14% at $41.65 on Oct. 9, the day after SpaceX announced the spectrum deal. About $0.71 of that drop reflected the stock going ex-dividend the same day.

Monday’s results were strong on paper. Verizon added 406,000 postpaid phone customers, more than 820% more than a year earlier, and raised its 2026 free cash flow growth forecast to nearly 12%, according to the company’s earnings release.

Revenue of $34.31 billion still missed the $34.74 billion analysts expected, and shares fell 2.70% to $43.45 on Monday, Benzinga reported.

This is the part I’d focus on if you own Verizon for income. The quarterly dividend is 70.75 cents per share, or $2.83 a year.

By my math, that works out to a yield of about 6.5% at Monday’s price of roughly $43.45. Free cash flow of $7.8 billion in the quarter, up 12.1%, is what pays for that dividend.

If you’re a Verizon customer, the takeaway is different. Starlink Mobile isn’t likely to change your U.S. plan before 2028, but the threat is already shaping how carriers treat you.

Schulman said on the call that he is “not against taking up pricing as long as we add value to that.”

Here’s how to use that:

Ask for loyalty offers. Carriers are working harder to keep customers, so call before you switch.

Compare total cost. Check fees and device payments, not just the advertised monthly rate.

Watch for satellite add-ons. Satellite texting in remote areas is already sold as an extra on some plans.

Don’t chase a dividend alone. A high yield can signal risk, so check free cash flow and debt too.

Schulman may be right that there’s no shortcut. But a rival doesn’t need to win to change what you pay.

Related: Bank of America sends SpaceX stock investors strong signal

Your traditional grocery chain costs more than shopping at Walmart, Aldi, and Costco.

That’s something we’ve seen doing live price comparisons at TheStreet that’s backed up by a more extensive study done by Consumer Reports.

In addition, grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons both admit that they can’t compete on price.

“We are not in the game of being the cheapest because we do not have the lowest costs. But we can provide the best value,” Kroger CEO Gregory Foran said during his chain’s second-quarter earnings call.

Albertsons CEO Susan Morris said almost exactly the same thing during her company’s Q2 earnings call.

“Our goal is not to be the cheapest guy in town, but rather to have the right balanced value proposition that resonates with the customers that we serve uniquely by market,” she said.

Price Chopper, a smaller chain that’s a major player in the Northeast, does not agree. It has launched a new banner designed to be the cheapest option for grocery shoppers.

Price Chopper’s new brand offers price transparency

Retailers rarely offer transparency when it comes to prices. That’s at least partially because on many items, the markup is fairly high, or would seem high to consumers who don’t understand all the costs of running a store.

Back in my retail days, for example, many products were “keystoned,” which means sold at double the price we acquired them for. That’s a 50% retail margin, and it helped cover the fact that some items we sold, Legos being the largest brand, were sold at manufacturer-set prices that gave us a 30% margin.

Since our operating overhead was around 40%, we actually needed to sell some items over that number to offset the ones that fell below it.

Retailers generally don’t share their markup or retail margin numbers; the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIEE) publishes a study showing markup and margins for 13 national chains, with Costco and Walmart having the lowest markups.

Costco markup 14.4%, margin 3.6%

Walmart markup 32.2%, margin 4.2%

Only Kroger had a lower markup among grocery chains than Walmart, coming in at 28.6% while only showing a margin of 2.1%. Aldi and Lidl, two discount grocery chains with a national footprint were not on the list.

“Markups are calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold from sales, then dividing the result by the cost of goods sold. Retail margins are calculated as operating income divided by sales. The markup average is 48%, and the retail margin average is 6%,” according to PIIE.

Costco marks goods up less than Walmart, but only makes a slightly lower margin because of its lower operating costs and cheaper cost of acquiring goods.

Price Chopper’s new store, ChopMore by Price Chopper, offers full pricing transparency.

“You pay cost plus 10% at checkout,” the company shared on its website.

Price Chopper launches a discount brand

Price Chopper’s ChopMore model looks a lot like the business model being used by Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs, which marks up all the prescriptions it fills by 15%.

“We calculate our 15% markup by multiplying the price we pay for the medication by 0.15. This gives us the markup we add to the original price. For example, if the medication costs us $50, the markup would be $50 x 0.15 = $7.50. We then add that $7.50 to the original $50, plus any pharmacy labor and shipping fees,” the company shared on its website.

That’s an online-only company without the costs associated with running a storefront. Operating a grocery chain that does not charge a membership fee like Costco and only marking items up 10% seems like a very challenging business model

Price Chopper’s parent company said it’s able to offer such ChopMore discounts by cutting expenses in other areas.

“Stack it high and sell it low. No marketing, no ads, no gimmicks, no loyalty cards,” Executive Vice President John Cosentino told KCUR. “Some products are in bins. Pallet drops on the endcaps. So it’s a different way of merchandising. Quicker, less labor.”

More retail:

Kroger cuts discounts, promises pricing changes

Walmart gets aggressive when it comes to holiday sales

Costco copies a popular Trader Joe’s collectible

The new store, which replaced a traditional Price Chopper, will operate with fewer employees.

“The former Price Chopper store in the space had about 100 employees a year ago. ChopMore now has about 60. But the company did not lay off workers. Instead, it gradually downsized through attrition,” Startland News reported.

Price Choopper is going for even lower prices at ChopMore. Shutterstock

10% is a really low markup

As a former retailer, I have a hard time believing that ChopMore can operate profitably on a 10% margin.

“Look, a 10% markup sounds great until you realize that’s only about a 9% gross margin. From that little slice, you’ve got to pay the employees, keep the lights on, cover rent, credit card fees, and pay for all the food that spoils before somebody buys it,” RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino told TheStreet.

There’s a reason, he noted, that retailers generally mark their prices up higher than that.

“The only way this works is by moving an enormous amount of merchandise and keeping expenses incredibly low. Costco has membership fees helping its economics,” he wrote. “Price Chopper doesn’t have that cushion here. They need shoppers coming back constantly, and they need those shelves turning over fast. One bad month could eat up whatever profit they’ve made.”

TheStreet Co-Editor-in-Chief Todd Campbell spent nine years in the grocery business working for Stop & Shop, another leading supermarket chain in the Northeast, and thinks the ChopMore could work.

“Price Chopper seems to be making a market share play to gain scale. Grocery operates on razor-thin margins, which is why so many have turned to lower-cost private label, like Aldi,” said Campbell. “It’s tough to turn a profit on a 10% markup without cutting services and embracing a bare-bones model.”

Even then, he added, with Walmart and Costco’s pricing power, “ChopMore may not be the cheapest option.”

Related: Ollie’s, Five Below, and Dollar General see troubling sales trend

Regulars at Gen Korean BBQ will soon notice something different at their favorite all-you-can-eat restaurant, from the name on the outside to the meat selections and side dishes inside.

The popular Korean barbecue chain is preparing for a major transformation under new ownership, with 47 U.S. restaurants expected to be rebranded or converted into entirely different dining concepts.

Also read: Walmart copies a core Costco move that also benefits customers

Chubby Group, the company behind renowned Asian dining brands including Chubby Cattle, Wagyu House and The X Pot, has signed an agreement to acquire operations at 47 Gen Korean BBQ restaurants and four additional development sites.

The deal, valued at up to $100 million, is expected to begin reshaping the chain as early as next month.

According to Chubby Group’s official announcement, the first 12 restaurants are targeted for an ownership handover on Nov. 1, 2026, with the remaining locations scheduled to follow in phases over the next 12 months.

The acquisition remains subject to final agreements, regulatory and other approvals.

Gen Korean BBQ restaurants will get new names and menus

Not every Gen Korean BBQ restaurant will look the same after the transition.

Chubby Group plans to convert the chain’s top-performing restaurants into a new concept called Gen X, while others will become existing Chubby Group brands, according to an Oct. 23 interview with Nation’s Restaurant News.

More Restaurants:

Hooters closing more restaurants in bankruptcy comeback

These are the True Food Kitchen locations closing in Chapter 11

Oprah-backed chain closes 12 restaurants for good after filing Chapter 11

The Gen X concept will retain elements of the traditional Korean barbecue experience while introducing several upgrades.

Planned changes include:

Higher-quality meat selections, with a greater emphasis on wagyu beef.

Self-service buffet stations featuring vegetables and side dishes.

Renovated restaurant interiors and dining areas.

Expanded and upgraded menus under the new concepts.

Currently, Gen Korean BBQ offers all-you-can-eat lunch, dinner and premium dining options, with customers cooking their selected meats at tabletop grills.

Chubby Group co-founder David Zhao told Nation’s Restaurant News that the company plans to improve protein quality and introduce buffet stations similar to those at its Wagyu Factory concept.

The upgrades may also extend beyond beef and traditional Korean barbecue offerings.

In a separate Oct. 23 interview with SeafoodSource, Zhao said Chubby Group plans to expand seafood options across its restaurants, including Gen locations as they transition to new ownership.

The company already sources premium seafood, including king crab from Japanese fish markets and black cod directly from fishing boats in Alaska.

Zhao said its direct sourcing strategy has generated several million dollars in savings over the past five years, allowing Chubby Group greater control over ingredient quality and menu offerings.

However, the company has not disclosed whether the upgrades will result in higher prices or changes to Gen’s existing all-you-can-eat pricing structure.

Customers may also gain access to Chubby Club, the buyer’s loyalty ecosystem, which offers points and rewards across participating restaurant brands.

The company has not clarified whether existing Gen gift cards or loyalty benefits will carry over after individual restaurants change ownership.

Which Gen Korean BBQ locations will change first?

While Chubby Group has confirmed that 12 restaurants are targeted for the first takeover phase, it has not released a definitive list identifying those locations.

But its official restaurant website already lists 12 upcoming Gen X locations across four states.

In California, planned locations include Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Alhambra, Torrance, Glendale, Fullerton, Tustin and Oxnard.

The company also lists:

Carrollton, Texas

Kapolei and Maui, Hawaii

Sahara in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It remains unclear whether these are the same 12 restaurants included in the November handover.

The proposed transaction does not represent a complete shutdown of the acquired restaurants. Instead, Chubby Group plans to continue operating them as part of its portfolio of dining brands.

The acquisition also represents a significant expansion for Chubby Group, which currently operates more than 70 restaurants across over 25 brands.

Adding the 47 Gen restaurants would substantially increase its footprint, while the four development sites could contribute additional locations once completed.

And the company has even bigger ambitions.

Related: Crumbl CEO says ‘it’s my fault’ after dirty soda with 130 grams of sugar flops

Zhao told Nation’s Restaurant News that Chubby Group hopes to surpass 200 locations over the next two years. That companywide target includes its broader restaurant expansion strategy, and not just the Gen Korean BBQ conversions.

The ambitious expansion follows a $50 million Series A funding round led by investment firm Prysm Capital, which valued Chubby Group at $500 million.

According to Chubby Group’s official announcement, the funding will support the growth of its restaurant portfolio.

The company plans to use its financial resources to convert the acquired Gen restaurants, expand its supply chain and open new dining concepts.

There is already a new Gen Korean BBQ restaurant planned in Massachusetts.

According to What Now Boston, Gen is pursuing an 8,671-square-foot restaurant at 26 Brattle Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge.

The proposed restaurant would feature multiple floors of dining space and a rooftop deck, with capacity for nearly 300 people.

Gen CEO David Kim told the publication that the restaurant is at least a year away from opening as it works through the city’s permitting process.

The project remains subject to approvals, and it has not been confirmed whether the location is among the four development sites included in Chubby Group’s acquisition agreement.

Why Gen Korean BBQ is selling its restaurants

The deal comes after a challenging period for Gen’s traditional restaurant business.

In its second-quarter 2026 financial results filed with the SEC, the company reported that comparable restaurant sales fell 9.3% from a year earlier.

Gen previously partnered with Chubby Group to transfer operations at several underperforming restaurants, including locations in California, Texas, New Jersey and Florida.

Chubby Group said it has increased revenue at a previously converted Gen restaurant by up to sixfold through menu improvements, renovations, and changes to its operations.

The new transaction is also expected to substantially reduce Gen Restaurant Group’s approximately $160 million in restaurant lease liabilities.

Under the agreement, restaurant operations will transfer to Chubby Group in four phases over 12 months, with Gen retaining operating profits until each location changes hands.

With the larger transaction, Gen Restaurant Group plans to move away from most restaurant operations and concentrate on selling Korean food products through grocery stores.

The company will retain ownership of the Gen brand, its packaged-food business and approximately three restaurants for training and product development.

Its ready-to-cook Korean barbecue products are already sold through retailers including Costco and Albertsons.

For longtime customers, that means the familiar Gen name may become more common in grocery freezer aisles, as it gradually disappears from many restaurant storefronts.

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