Restaurant Performance Index increased 1.0% in February
The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) registered a healthy gain in February, driven by stronger sales and a positive outlook for business conditions. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 100.9 in February, up 1.0% from a level of 99.9 in January.
February represented the first time in nine months that the RPI stood above 100 in expansion territory. The primary catalysts were stronger same-store sales and customer traffic readings, though that was due in large part to soft February 2025 comparisons. Looking forward, restaurant operators are somewhat more optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, but remain uncertain about the direction of the economy.
The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators, stood at 100.8 in February – up 1.7% from January and the first time in nine months that the current situation index stood above 100 in expansion territory.
The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators, stood at 100.9, up 0.3% from the previous month. That represented the second consecutive monthly increase and the highest reading in more than a year.
RPI Methodology
The National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) is a monthly composite index that tracks the health of the U.S. restaurant industry. Launched in 2002, the RPI is released on the last business day of each month.
The RPI is measured in relation to a neutral level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The Index consists of two components — the Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), and the Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions).
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures. Restaurant operators interested in participating in the tracking survey: contact Bruce Grindy.
Updated 3/31/2026