WASHINGTON — The nearly one million restaurants in America are expected to enjoy record sales and continue to lead job providers in 2013, according to a National Restaurant Association (NRA) forecast.
The positive forecast, suggests sales are expected to top $660 billion in 2013, a 3.8-per-cent increase over 2012, marking the fourth-consecutive year of real sales growth for the industry.
“Despite a challenging environment, the restaurant industry remains a strong driver in the nation’s economy,” said Dawn Sweeney, president, CEO, NRA. “Ours is a resilient and flexible industry that continually finds new ways to keep growing, relying on the creativity and innovation exhibited by the entrepreneurial spirit.”
Looking ahead, the NRA expects restaurants to add 1.3 million new positions in the next decade, pushing industry employment to 14.4 million by 2023. Additionally, operators will continue to face many challenges, including the economy, food costs and health-care reform.
“The fact that the restaurant industry will continue to grow in an operating environment that presents substantial challenges is a testament to the essential role that restaurants play in our daily lives,” said Hudson Riehle, SVP, Research & Knowledge.
To read the report, visit restaurant.org.
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