CHICAGO—A new report from the NPD Group reveals that, for the second consecutive quarter, restaurant traffic dipped below year-ago levels as mounting job losses hurt lunch weekday visits and supper traffic declines continued.
According to the report, the quick service restaurant (QSR) segment experienced its first decline this quarter since winter 2003. Customer counts at QSR were down 1 percent. Full-service restaurants absorbed the steepest loss, and the rate of decline at casual dining accelerated.
The report also found that consumers ate out more on the weekend, reversing a trend in previous quarters.
