January 16, 2014
This will mark the fifth consecutive year of real sales growth for the restaurant industry despite a continued challenging economic landscape, aaccording to the National Restaurant Association’s 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast released today. Industry sales are projected to exceed $683 billion in 2014, up 3.6 percent over 2013 (1.2 percent when adjusted for inflation).
2014 also will mark the 15th straight year in which restaurant industry employment growth will outpace overall employment growth. The industry will continue to be the nation’s second-largest private employer with nearly one million restaurants employing 13.5 million individuals, or about one in 10 working Americans.
“As our nation continues its road to recovery, the restaurant industry will remain a key driver of economic growth and a leading jobs creator,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Restaurants touch every community across the U.S., and 2014 will be a year of growth and innovation as the industry focuses on inspired new ways to meet consumer demand while providing valuable careers to millions of American