by Calculated Risk on 1/31/2011 11:54:00 PM

This is one of several industry specific indexes I track each month.

Click on graph for larger image in graph gallery.

Unfortunately the data for this index only goes back to 2002.

Note: Any reading above 100 shows expansion for this index.

From the National Restaurant Association (NRA): Restaurant Industry Entering 2011 on Positive Note, as Restaurant Performance Index Posted Strong Gain in December

Driven by expanding same-store sales and customer traffic levels as well as growing optimism among restaurant operators, the outlook for the restaurant industry improved in December. The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.0 in December, up a strong 1.1 percent from its November level.
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For the third time in the last four months, restaurant operators reported a net increase in same-store sales. ... Restaurant operators also reported a net increase in customer traffic levels in December.