Visits to U.S.
chain and independent restaurants decline by 35% in April; digital orders
increase by 106%

Chicago, June 1, 2020 — With nearly 320,000 restaurant units in the U.S.* now allowed to offer some level of on-premise dining, customer transaction declines at major restaurant chains continued to improve in the week ending May 24, reports The
NPD Group. Total major restaurant chain transactions declined by -18% in the week compared to same week year ago, a +25 point gain from the steepest decline during the COVID-19 pandemic of -43% in week ending April 12,  according to CREST®
Performance Alerts, which provides a rapid weekly view of chain-specific transactions and share trends for 70 quick service, fast casual, midscale, and casual dining chains. 

Major full service chain restaurant transactions declined by -42% versus same time year ago, a +7 point improvement from the prior week’s decline of -49% from year ago. Transactions at quick service restaurant chains were down -17% in week ending May 24 compared to same week year ago, improving from the -20% decline in the prior week.

NPD’s CREST® foodservice market research, which daily tracks all aspects of how U.S. consumers use restaurants, shows that total industry traffic at chain and independent restaurants was down -35% in April compared to year ago, which aligns with NPD’s weekly restaurant chain transactions tracking. Drive-thru, primarily at quick service restaurants, accounted for almost half of all restaurant occasions (46%), while digital orders grew by 106% in April compared to year ago and now accounts for 20% of all restaurant occasions. 

“Among the most interesting behaviors we’re seeing is the rapid escalation of using technology to engage with restaurants,” says David Portalatin, NPD
food industry advisor and author of Eating Patterns in America.  “Going forward, we might expect a digital divide that sets apart restaurants with well- executed digital offerings and requires those without to turn to the newfound prowess of third-party platforms.”

Related Content