National Restaurant Association Sees Full-Year Industry Growth for First Time Since 2008

The National Restaurant Association today issued sales forecasts for the industry during 2011, predicting the first full year of growth in three years.

The group estimates restaurant sales will rise 3.6% to around $604 billion during this year. Breaking the analysis down by segment, the NRA sees the quick-service group growing 3.3%, the full service group rising 3.1%, caterers up 6.2%, primary and secondary schools up 4.8%, hospitals and nursing homes up 5.5% and hotel restaurants up 5.7%.

Regionally, the group expects North Carolina to report the fastest pace of growth, at 4.2%, following closely by Virginia and Idaho at 4% each.

Around the sector today:

• McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) down 0.3% to $73.44
  
• Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) up 2% to $32.17
  
• Yum! (NYSE: YUM) up 1.7% to $47.56
  
• Tim Hortons (NYSE: THI) up 0.9% to $41.33
  
• Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) up 0.8% to $220.61
  
• Darden (NYSE: DRI) up 3.1% to $48.58
  
• Panera (Nasdaq: PNRA) up 0.8% to $96.33
  
• Brinker (NYSE: EAT) up 1.5% to $23.89

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