Association amps up its research resources

Data is an important business decision-making tool for the foodservice industry. With access to more timely and in-depth analysis of available data, restaurant operators can make educated moves toward business growth. To support that, the National Restaurant Association’s research team is expanding its industry-leading resources to include new content and analysis.

According to Dr. Chad Moutray, Association vice president of research, the team has doubled the number of restaurant-specific economic indicators it covers, is now looking at how policy actions or changes might affect economic growth, and has expanded state-by-state data to include expansive analysis of the economic contributions of the foodservice industry.

“We’ve added a bit more of a macro perspective—looking at a wider swath of indicators—to give an increased perspective on what’s happening in our economy,” he says. “If you’re a restaurant operator, you’re looking for business-specific information about what’s happening, not just in the current economy, but where it’s heading. That’s what we’re trying to do, help restaurateurs navigate the challenges they face and grow their businesses.”

More content, more research

Moutray says one of the team’s primary objectives is to provide restaurant operators and others interested in the economic performance of the industry with more content, research, surveys, and studies that focus on topics like the supply chain, manufacturing and distribution, workforce technology, and third-party delivery sectors that serve the industry. 

Most of the content is available in the recently updated research section of the Association's website. Some of the resources include:

• Restaurant Economic Insights blog: A new addition which covers up-to-the-moment conversations and trends that are impacting the restaurant industry and the national economy.
• Economic Contributions of the Restaurant and Foodservice Industry fact sheets: A new resource which derives the total economic contributions of the industry by state, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and congressional district and provides insight on the industry by segment. 
• Economic Indicators: An expanded list of key economic indicators which are valuable for understanding economic trends and the industry outlook, providing relevant insights for operators, suppliers, and others looking to stay informed on the current state of the market. Here you’ll find analysis of the national jobs and restaurant sales reports, inflation and food costs. There’s also:
• Analysis and commentary on the consumer and economic outlook from the Association’s Chief Economist, Bruce Grindy
• Same-Store Sales and Customer Traffic: Analysis of same-store sales and traffic trends based on the Association customer and operator surveys, offering important insights into current industry conditions and operators’ growth expectations.
• The Restaurant Performance Index: Monthly insights into current and expected business conditions, helping to identify whether the sector is experiencing expansion or contraction.

In addition, in February, the team will release the 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report, as well as a workforce study in March that will use first-hand operator accounts to define how they use technology to address workforce challenges.

“Creating these new tools and expanding our restaurant industry analysis is setting the precedent for where we would like to go moving forward,” Moutray notes. “It will allow us to talk to actual restaurant operators and find out what they're struggling with, how they’re solving those problems, and provide information that others can learn from.”

Check out more about the Association’s research resources here