CHICAGO (July 20, 2010)—U.S. restaurant unit count declined by -1 percent, or a loss of 5,204 restaurants, this spring compared to spring 2009, according to foodservice market research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. NPD’s Spring 2010 ReCount®, which is a census of commercial restaurant locations in the United States compiled in the spring and fall each year, reports that independent restaurant closings contributed to most of the decline, while chain units remained relatively stable.
According to NPD’s Spring 2010 ReCount, which was collected from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010, the number of quick service restaurants declined by -1 percent or 2,521 units. Full service restaurant units, which includes the casual dining, mid-scale, and fine dining segments also experienced a unit loss of -1 percent or 2,683 units.
| Segment | System Type | Spring 2009 | Spring 2010 | PCYA* |
| TOTAL REST | ALL | 584,620 | 579,416 | -1% |
| CHAINS | 267,979 | 267,868 | 0% | |
| INDEPENDENTS | 316,641 | 311,548 | -2% | |
| QSR | ALL | 308,648 | 306,127 | -1% |
| CHAINS | 213,144 | 213,308 | 0% | |
| INDEPENDENTS | 95,504 | 92,819 | -3% | |
| FSR | ALL | 275,972 | 273,289 | -1% |
| CHAINS | 54,835 | 54,560 | -1% | |
| INDEPENDENTS | 221,137 | 218,729 | -1% |
*Percent change from a year ago
Source: The NPD Group/ReCount®, Spring 2010
“It’s been a difficult time for the restaurant industry with customer traffic down over the past year,” says Greg Starzynski, director, product development-foodservice at NPD. “The unit losses we’re seeing in our latest census are a reflection of the weakness in the industry with the greatest impact on the independent restaurant operators.”
According to The NPD Group’s CREST®, which continually tracks consumer usage of commercial and non-commercial foodservice outlets, visits to U.S. restaurants declined by -3 percent for the year ending May 2010 compared to a year ago. Consumer spending at restaurants declined by -1 percent, the first decline in dollars NPD has reported since it began tracking the foodservice industry in 1976.
*Editor’s note: ReCount® restaurant counts are available by a variety of breakdowns; including geographical breakdowns, e.g., zip code, city, state, designated market area, census areas, etc.
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