Chain Same-Store Sales Trending Flat In First Quarter, Reports Technomic

With about two-thirds of chains having reported, same-store sales in the first quarter this year are barely above even, according to preliminary data compiled by Technomic Inc. With 46 of the approximately 70 chains reporting, Technomic’s weighted average less McDonald’s was up only 0.14% for the quarter compared with the first quarter in 2012. The median gain for the 46 systems was 1% with gainers outpacing losers 25 to 21. Sales were up 3.67% in the first quarter last year, but have trended lower every quarter since.

With McDonald’s included, the total weighted average is in the red at -0.28%. Technomic compiles the averages with and without McDonald’s since the chain’s sheer size skews the numbers. McDonald’s reported a 1.2% decline in U.S. same-store sales in the first quarter.

As was true during much of the Great Foodservice Recession, same-store sales at quick-service concepts held up better in the quarter than did those at full-service chains. With 23 chains in, weighted same-store sales at full-service companies were off 1.3% while they rose 1.58% for the 23 quick-service chains. In quick-service, 16 chains saw higher same-store sales while seven were down. Fourteen full-service concepts saw slower same-store sales and nine reported improvements.

Information on Technomic Inc. research products can be found at technomic.com.”””