The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) posted a moderate increase in April, but continued to signal an uncertain outlook for business conditions in the months ahead. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 99.7 in April, up 0.9% from a level of 98.9 in March.
Restaurant operators reported a modest net increase in same-store sales in April, but customer traffic readings remained dampened. Looking ahead, restaurant operators have a mixed outlook for sales in the coming months, while their expectation for the overall economy continues to lean pessimistic.
The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators, stood at 99.4 in April – up 0.5% from a level of 98.9 in March. April represented the second consecutive increase in the current situation component, even as operators continued to report mixed sales and customer traffic readings.
The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators, stood at 100.0 – up 1.2% from the previous month. The rebound in the RPI’s forward-looking component was driven by a somewhat more optimistic outlook for sales in the months ahead, though operators remain downbeat about the economy.
RPI Methodology
The National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) is a monthly composite index that tracks the health of the U.S. restaurant industry. Launched in 2002, the RPI is released on the last business day of each month.
The RPI is measured in relation to a neutral level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The Index consists of two components — the Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), and the Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions).
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures.
Updated 5/30/2025
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