June 2, 2010
Industry Headlines
The outlook for the restaurant industry remained positive in April, as the National Restaurant Association’s comprehensive index of restaurant activity stood above 100 for the second consecutive month. The Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – was essentially unchanged from its previous month’s level; the RPI stood at 100.4 in April, down slightly from its March level of 100.5. RPI levels above 100 indicate expansion of key industry indicators.
“Although the sales and traffic indicators softened somewhat from their March performance, restaurant operators remain optimistic that business conditions will improve in the months ahead,” says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. “In addition, restaurant operators reported a positive outlook for staffing gains, as well as continued plans for capital expenditures in the coming months.”
The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, and index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators.
A Papa John's Pizza unit in Centreville, Ohio, recently hosted a parking lot celebration to raise funds and community awareness for Georgia-based charity HeroBox.org. HeroBox founder Ryan Housley started the charity in May 2008 to provide stateside families a convenient means to "adopt" a deployed solider. Adopted soldiers receive care packages, called HeroBoxes, from their contributing sponsors in the U.S.
Papa John's Centreville General Manager Jason Hyman, PJ Ohio's Director of Marketing Sarah Baker and HeroBox's Housley were on hand to lead the May fundraising event at the Papa John's unit in Centreville. During the event, all 28 Dayton-area Papa John's stores served as drop-off locations for contributions for HeroBox care packages. Additionally, area Papa John's stores donated a percentage of their sales to the cause. In all, more than 50 care packages were donated and more than $1,000 was raised for HeroBox.org.
"It was a great day for Papa John's and HeroBox.org," Hyman says. "A wide variety of people now know about Papa John's involvement with HeroBox, and they know who HeroBox is now. I hope the word spreads. This is a great outlet for those who can't just walk up and say 'Thank you' to a soldier, or are shy and can't approach them. This is a great way to show that you care."
Pizza Inn recently announced the opening of its newest Express restaurant located inside the National Truck Stop in Longview, Texas. With 86 restaurants now open and operating throughout the Lone Star state, Pizza Inn continues to target Texas as a key part of its growth plan.
"As we continue to grow our brand in our home state of Texas, we are thrilled to bring our freshly made pizzas and other popular menu items to Longview," says Charlie Morrison, CEO of Pizza Inn. "We are confident that this location will serve the Longview area and the Interstate 20 corridor well. " The Pizza Inn Express model is designed for use in high traffic sites with "customers-on-the-go," such as truck stops, convenience stores, airports, hotels, travel plazas and college dining halls.
Currently, Pizza Inn has approximately 315 units in operation.
The Latin-focused chain Pizza Patron recently opened its 100th location in Dallas.
"This is a significant juncture for any chain, and we are proud to offer our customers everyday food values on par with the fast food giants,” says company president Guillermo Estrada. “Our nimble size has allowed us to react and adjust quickly to challenging market conditions and grow our market share during the past couple of years.”
Pizza Patron says it hopes to have 750 outlets nationwide within 10 years. Currently, it operates in seven states.
“This is a great achievement in the history of our company,” says founder Antonio Swad. “It demonstrates the relevance of our brand and hints at our potential to become a major player in our segment.”