COLUMBUS — A new study by the Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) and the Cleveland Research Company tracks the foodservice industry in the Buckeye State. The results reflect the input of almost $1 billion in sales for Ohio restaurants.
One of the key findings: restaurant owners saw weaker consumer demand in January 2017 after a strong fourth quarter of 2016 that was aided by mild weather.
More findings from survey respondents from across the state from multiple industry segments such as casual dining, quick service, fast casual, fine dining, pubs and bars, show the following trends:
Fourth-quarter 2016 same-store sales for restaurants in Ohio were up a robust 3.2 percent. The growth was driven by a mix of customer traffic, up 2 percent, and higher average check.
January 2017 same-store sales for restaurants in Ohio were up 1.6 percent, which was lower than any month in 2016. Traffic in January was up 1.2 percent.
Owners are optimistic about sales for this year. They expect 4 percent same-store sales in 2017, up from 3 percent in 2016.
“The Ohio restaurant scene is dynamic with growth opportunities for concepts with outstanding brand positioning, great food, A+ guest service and flexible models that offer many customer touch points such as mobile ordering and delivery,” said John Barker, president & CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association.
“Same-stores sales in Ohio during the fourth quarter were positive for our industry, up more than three percent as we experienced mild weather and strong traffic around the holidays,” Barker added. “Growth slowed in January, but owners are bullish about the year due to strong consumer confidence and a soaring stock market.”
The ORA survey included responses from 75-80 restaurateurs from across the state with an average of 2.5 restaurants and revenue per company of about $5.7 million. The survey also covered topics such as food delivery utilization, food delivery impact, off-premise occasions, and food and labor cost outlooks.
