Sales volume grew modestly at Atlanta’s independent restaurants in Quarter 1 2013, according to Robert Wagner, president of NetFinancials. Sales at Atlanta restaurants increased in that quarter 2.4% over sales for Q1 2012. This increase contrasts with Q1 2012 when Atlanta restaurants experienced a quarterly comparable sales increase of 6.8% over Q1, 2011.
Positive sales gains were reported by 61% of the 88 area restaurants surveyed. That leaves 39% with negative Q1 sales trends. Of the restaurants surveyed, 10% reported double-digit sales gains in Q1 2013.
“Q1 was a challenging quarter for Atlanta restaurants. Viewed in isolation, Q1 Atlanta restaurant sales growth was anemic and worrisome,” said Wagner. “But viewed in the broader national trend, Atlanta sales growth takes on a different appearance. Nationally the Q1 restaurant sales trend was negative 1.3% according to Black Box Intelligence, a restaurant sales and traffic-tracking company. Atlanta restaurant sales growth in Q1 while modest is at least positive. This shows that Atlanta restaurants can and, in the first quarter, did buck the national downward trend. It is significant that a majority, a full 61% surveyed, experienced positive sales growth in Q1 2013.”Restaurant operators attributed the tepid Q1 results to bad weather and sagging consumer confidence. For many operators, the quarter was salvaged by strong March 2013 sales.
The 88 independently-operated, non-franchise restaurants were drawn from the metro Atlanta market. Total Q1 2013 survey sales volume was $50,806,603. The sample included restaurants in Atlanta’s fast-casual, casual and fine-dining segments opened at least 15 months.
