News

Grocery store sales surpassed by restaurants for the first time

Monthly sales at restaurants exceeded grocery store sales for the first time on record, the National Restaurant Association reported.

May 18, 2015

National Restaurant Association Chief Economist Bruce Grindy reported that for the first time on record, in December 2014 monthly sales at restaurants exceeded grocery stores sales, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The gap between monthly grocery store sales and restaurant sales started gradually shrinking in 2010, according to the NRA report, a trend that was partially due to the increase in consumers buying their groceries at big-box stores. 

Grindy reported that there has been a dramatic shift toward restaurants that occurred in the last 10 months: In June 2014 grocery store sales exceeded restaurant sales by $1.6 billion; by April 2015 the gap had essentially reversed, with restaurant sales moving out in front by $1.5 billion.