April Sales Up, Traffic Down and Restaurant Industry Job Growth ...

May 16, 2012 ? 10:16 am

Following two months of disappointing declines, industry performance improved slightly in April as same-store sales returned to positive territory while guest traffic remained negative, according to the most recent Restaurant Industry Snapshot from Black Box Intelligence.? The report also found that sales for both food and alcohol were positive, and check average was 3.4 percent higher than the same month last year.? After two straight months of decline, The Restaurant Industry Willingness to Spend Index was flat to the prior month, indicative of consumers concerns.? Consumers continue to be concerned about high gas prices, unemployment and uncertainty in the economy overall.? The fact that the index is flat may indicate a plateau until something positive stimulates the economy.? Let?s hope so.

One of the strongest indicators of the nation?s employment and general economy is the restaurant industry.?? Foodservice?is now at the recovery?s leading edge. Restaurants added more than 550,000 jobs during the past two years, outpacing all other industries except construction.? The nation?s economy and specifically jobs is one of the major concerns of the Obama administration in this election year.? ?The nation?s overall job total grew at a 1.5 percent year-over-year pace this spring, but the restaurant industry was growing at more than twice that rate.? It appears foodservice employment will continue its strong growth in the upcoming months. The NRA?s Restaurant Performance Index, which evaluates the current and future health of the restaurant industry, has been positive since last fall.

Finally, when will our current administration and whichever administration takes over in the fall stop all the talk and do something to help small business?? We need to revitalize business and implement things that stimulate job growth and expansion.? The first step is reducing the corporate tax rate, currently the highest in the industrialized world. Lowering the tax rate will increase incentives for companies to invest and create jobs while also freeing up valuable resources for research and development, expansion and capital expenditures.? Here?s to?hoping that the next administration takes some action and is not all talk.

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