Analysts Predict Turnaround for U.S. RestaurantsAnalysts Predict Turnaround for U.S. Restaurants

CHICAGOThis year may be the turnaround year for the nations restaurant industry, according to a new Technomic report that predicts total U.S. foodservice sales will record its best numbers since 2008 with an increase of 1.7 percent in sales on a nominal basis and dip just .3 percent on a real basis, when adjusting for menu price inflation.

As reported by Nations Restaurant News, the 2011 forecast will outperform the industrys performance in 2009, which included a nominal sales decline of 3.7 percent and a real growth decline of 6.9 percent. It was the worst performance on record since 1981. According to Technomic, 2011 will be the second consecutive year of total dollar growth, after the fall of 2009 and nearly flat growth in 2010.