Noting that activist investors have recently disclosed their involvement with both Chipotle (CMG) and Fiesta Restaurant Group (FRGI), Piper Jaffray analyst Nicole Miller Regan took a look back at 149 activist campaigns that occurred in the restaurant industry from 1997 to now and found that 70% of the campaigns are followed by positive returns in the year following a campaign announcement. Of note, two-thirds of those campaigns are followed by returns of more than 20%, said Regan, who added that she expects M&A to become more prevalent in the restaurant sector. Some smaller names she offers for investors to consider in this context include Bravo Brio (BBRG), Ignite Restaurant (IRG), Potbelly (PBPB), BJ's Restaurants (BJRI) and Noodles & Company(NDLS).