WASHINGTON — The National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) “2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast” is predicting record U.S. foodservice sales in 2012, up 3.5 per cent from 2011.
“As our nation slowly recovers from the economic downturn, restaurants continue to be a vital part of American lifestyles and our nation’s economy,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the NRA.
“We expect the nation’s nearly one million restaurants to post sales of $632 billion this year. Combine that with the fact that restaurant job growth is expected to outpace the overall economy for the 13th straight year, and it’s clear the restaurant industry is once again proving to be a significant economic stimulant and strong engine for job creation.”
The outlook for industry sectors is positive with top sales predicted at table-service restaurants ($201B), followed by quick-service restaurants ($174B). Other segments predicted to outpace industry average growth include, but are not limited to, military services, managed services in hospitals and nursing homes and convenience stores. On the whole, a big industry trend will be technology as well as health and nutrition.
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