Restaurant Operators Report Continued Sales Improvement in June

Conditions in the restaurant industry improved for the second consecutive month as more operators reported an increase in same-store sales.

The National Restaurant Association’s monthly Restaurant Performance Index rose 0.2% from May to a level of 100.2. It was the second straight month that the index was above the 100 level, signaling that the overall industry is in a period of expansion.

Fifty-one percent of restaurant operators said their same-store sales rose between June 2025 and June 2026. That was up from 48% who said the same in April and 50% in May. Only 31% of operators said their sales had declined. Looking ahead, 29% of operators expect their sales volume to be higher in six months than in the same period a year ago. That was the lowest reading in 11 months, but still a net positive as just 18% said they expect sales to decline.

While sales have consistently improved, lower customer traffic has weighed on the restaurant industry for the past several years. However, there are signs that trend could finally be reversing. Operators reported a modest improvement in customer traffic in June, with 35% saying it was higher than the year before. That was an increase from 29% in May.

Even with sales and customer traffic improving, operators remained mixed on the direction of the overall economy. Seventeen percent of respondents said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, down slightly from 19% in May. Meanwhile, 33% believe economic conditions will worsen. Those readings represented the 17th consecutive month in which restaurant operators had a net negative outlook for the economy.

The outlook may be uncertain, but operators continue to invest in their businesses. Fifty-five percent said they plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion, or remodeling during the next six months. That marked the 15th straight month in which a majority of operators reported plans for capital spending.

The full June 2026 Restaurant Performance Index is available here.