WASHINGTON—Restaurant industry performance softened in August, according to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI). The monthly composite index stood at 97.9 in August, down 0.2 percent from July, marking its third decline in the last four months.
“Although the RPI remained below 100 for the 22nd consecutive month, which signals contraction, there are clear signs of improvement,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. “Restaurant operators reported a positive six-month outlook for both same-store sales and the overall economy, which drove the expectations component of the RPI to its highest level in four months.”
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures. The RPI consists of two components – the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.
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