AHA calls on food industry for salt reduction

January 13, 2011

The American Heart Association has issued a call to action for the public, health professionals, the foodservice industry and the government to put forth a…

Study: More dining out, smaller checks in 2011

January 11, 2011

Good news first: Americans are expected to dine out more in 2011. Not-so-good news: it's predicted they'll spend about 5 percent less per meal while doing so.

Restaurant Performance Index posts November decline

January 2, 2011

As a result of a downtick in same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) fell below…

Craft beer popularity soars

December 28, 2010

While spirits barely edged out beer as the most popular alcoholic beverage enjoyed by consumers in 2010, the market has hardly fallen flat. According to the…

2011 U.K. foodservice trends predicted

December 20, 2010

The United Kingdom has welcomed many American brands to its soil. Chains such as KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Chipotle, Starbucks, Domino’s, Papa John’s and…

Seasonal flavors spice up menus

December 14, 2010

The latest research from market intelligence provider Mintel finds that restaurant chains are responding to consumer demand by spicing up their menus with fall…

Oh, Canada! Foodservice industry up north outpacing U.S.

December 14, 2010

Restaurant chains are spreading throughout Canada faster than they are in the U.S. According to a study by Technomic, the Canadian restaurant industry has…

Food and drink tickets more expensive in 2010

December 13, 2010

Although Americans' wallets may feel thinner because of the recession, consumers are apparently willing to spend almost a dollar more on lunch. New research…

Unemployment hampers restaurant recovery, but volumes gain slight edge

December 12, 2010

With continued high unemployment across the U.S., restaurant traffic remained down 1 percent in the third calendar quarter of 2010; however, positive signs…

Mexican menu popularity boosted by fast casual concepts

December 5, 2010

Limited service Mexican restaurant chains were able to increase sales by 2.7 percent and unit counts by 1.8 percent in 2009, despite an overall industry-wide…

Consumers choosing healthier foods, NPD says

November 29, 2010

According to foodservice market research by The NPD Group, foods high in sugar content or fat have been ordered less frequently at restaurants over the past 1…

Restaurant comps, traffic push RPI to highest level in three years

November 29, 2010

Fueled by improving same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose to its highest…

Fast Casual restaurants gain UK market share

by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

November 28, 2010

Fast-casual restaurants are continuing to gain market share in the United Kingdom -- growing at a faster rate than their limited-service counterparts…

Study: People choose combo meals regardless of value or size

November 28, 2010

In her new research, "Consumption Effects of Bundling: Consumer Perceptions, Firm Actions, and Public Policy Implications," appearing in the fall issue of…

Mintel outlines law-based opposition and opportunities for 2011 restaurants

November 10, 2010

Recapping a year that saw a new health bill pass with tangible implications for the foodservice industry, research company Mintel outlined five ways…

NPD: Family dining makes a comeback

November 9, 2010

Restaurant visits from families or parties with kids increased this past summer after three years of traffic declines, according to market research company The…

ADA reports on families' fast food consumption

November 8, 2010

The American Dietetic Association Foundation has released preliminary results of a new survey on family eating habits, attitudes and physical activity. The…

Restaurant performance outlook posts modest improvement

October 28, 2010

Driven by improving same-store sales and customer traffic levels, as well as growing optimism among restaurant operators, the outlook for the restaurant…

Mintel: Consumer trends begin with long-term benefits

October 27, 2010

While consumers are still reeling from the aftershock of the global economic crisis, Mintel has predicted nine key consumer trends for the year ahead that…

Zagat: Customers want time limits on free restaurant Wi-Fi

October 26, 2010

Zagat Survey has released the results of its 2011 America's Top Restaurants guide, reporting the opinions and habits of more than 153,000 avid diners. The…