Most Major Markets Saw Flat Or Falling Third Quarter 2013 Traffic, Reports NPD

“Glorious” fall weather helped drive a 2% gain in restaurant traffic in the third quarter in the United Kingdom, versus the year-earlier third quarter, but traffic was flat or negative in nearly all the other markets tracked by The NPD Group’s global foodservice practice during the quarter ended September.

Traffic was negative in Italy, Spain and Japan and flat in Australia, Canada, Germany, France and the U.S. China continued its pattern of relatively weaker growth with traffic up 1% and spending rising 4%. Consumer spending was moderately positive in all other markets except Italy and Spain.

Lunch is the bright spot in most markets, NPD’s CREST research shows. Lunch traffic nudged up in seven of the 10 markets tracked. But not all segments are experiencing positive lunch numbers. Traffic at full-service restaurants in the U.S. fell. On the other hand, full service was the only segment to show higher traffic in Canada, which lifted traffic at most meal parts.

For information of NPD Group foodservice research products, visit npd.com.

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