Lower gas prices have upped sales at QSRs and fast casuals

Back in November, economists excitedly predicted that lower oil prices would be great news for consumers.

They suggested that Americans would save about $42 per month if gas prices remained low throughout the year, which would then translate into more discretionary spending.

But somewhat surprisingly, for the most part, Americans have opted to save that extra money, rather than to spend it.

Still, Americans did spent some of their newfound riches. According to analysts at Bank of America, those savings went toward eating out at "quick service" restaurants like McDonald's and Wendy's and "fast casual" restaurants like Chipotle and Panera Bread.

Read the Full Article

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Leadership

Meet the restaurant fixer who now owns Etta

Tech entrepreneur Johann Moonesinghe suddenly finds himself leading a growing group of restaurants. His secret? He doesn't expect to make a profit.

Financing

Looking for the next Chipotle? These 3 chains are already there

The Bottom Line: Wingstop, Raising Cane’s and Jersey Mike’s have broken free from the pack of well-established growth chains. Here’s why this trio stands out.

Financing

For Starbucks, 2 years of change hasn't yielded promised results

The Bottom Line: The coffee shop giant’s sales struggles worsened earlier this year, despite a flurry of efforts to improve operations and employee satisfaction.

Trending

More from our partners