Despite rising gas and commodity prices, this year’s restaurant sales continue to steadily improve over this same time last year. The big question now is how do operators find more creative ways to save cash and, ultimately, grow profits? One key strategy is to stream-line the supply chain.
As warehouse optimization - a shrinking of the number of warehouses to create improved in-bound freight efficiencies - buzz continues to pick up steam across the industry, operators are asking: How does it work?
Watch a video summary on the February RPI, plus an update on how rising gasoline prices affect restaurants, featuring Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association.
Driven by improving same-store sales and customer traffic levels as well as growing optimism among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – rose to 100.7, up 0.4 percent from its January level. February marked the fifth time in the last six months the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion.
“February’s RPI gain was driven by solid improvements in the same-store sales and customer traffic indicators,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. “Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales and customer traffic results in February, after January’s results were dampened by extreme weather conditions in many parts of the country.”
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After updating her Facebook status to: “Tracy Reinhardt is enjoying some Adult Chocolate Milk!” friends began inquiring about the recipe and where they could get it.
