by Calculated Risk on 12/31/2013 03:03:00 PM

From the National Restaurant Association: Restaurant Performance Index Hit a Five-Month High in November

Driven by improving same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) hit a five-month high in November. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.2 in November, up 0.3 percent from October and the strongest level since June. In addition, the RPI stood above 100 for the ninth consecutive month, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Recent growth in the RPI was fueled in large part by improving same-store sales and customer traffic levels,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. “In addition, restaurant operators are somewhat more confident that sales levels will improve, and a majority plan to make a capital expenditure in the next six months.”
...
The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 101.2 in November – up 0.3 percent from a level of 100.9 in October and the highest level in six months. ...

Fifty-seven percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between November 2012 and November 2013, up from 54 percent in October and the highest level in six months.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

The index increased to 101.2 in November, up from 100.9 in October. (above 100 indicates expansion).

Restaurant spending is discretionary, so even though this is "D-list" data, I like to check it every month - and this is fairly positive.