These can be challenging times for restaurant chains in a particularly competitive environment, according to research firm Technomics. On average, publicly held restaurant companies saw third-quarter comparable sales drop by 1.3 percent. Full-service dining operators were the hardest hit, with 24 out of 32 companies posting negative quarterly comparable sales. “As we look to the fourth quarter,” wrote Technomics research manager Kevin Schimpf in a report, “expect modest improvements in comparable sales as operators face easier quarterly comparisons from the prior year and also begin to turn a corner on hurricane-related performance issues.” But three chains did manage to post strong performance for the quarter. They are:
McDonald’s The chain has seen its U.S. comparable sales increase for three consecutive quarters, rising from a second-quarter growth mark of 3.9 percent to a third-quarter rate of 4.1 percent. The chain’s national beverage and McPick 2 value promotions are noted as key factors driving the sales increases.
Texas Roadhouse The company continues to be one of the few bright spots in the casual-dining segment, having posted 4.5 percent comparable-sales growth in the third quarter, propelled by customer traffic gains of some 3.5 percent.
Burger King The company's 4 percent increase is that chain’s highest U.S. comparable-sales mark since the first quarter of 2016. Globally, its comparable sales increased by 3.6 percent, with strong unit expansion pushing up quarterly systemwide sales growth to 6.6 percent.
By Brannon Boswell
Executive Editor, Commerce + Communities Today
