economy

Financing

Krispy Kreme sold a ton of doughnuts last year

The Charlotte, N.C.-based chain sold a record number of doughnuts in 2022. And its Insomnia Cookies brand also generated strong revenue growth.

Financing

Restaurant menu price inflation is showing little sign of slowing

The cost of a night out continued to grow last month as the gap between restaurants and grocery stores narrowed.

The Bottom Line: There is a sense that low-income consumers are changing their spending at fast-food restaurants and focusing more on value. But the impact appears limited, at least so far.

Restaurants and hotels led all economic segments in job creation during January, yet still came up about half a million jobs short of where their payrolls were pre-pandemic, according to new federal statistics.

Operators have increasingly aggressive growth plans and are proposing more complicated restaurant formats than ever. But permitting and construction delays are slowing it all down.

Prices for restaurant meals rose 8.3% year over year in December as full-service operators slowed their price increases. Inflation as a whole also slowed down in the month.

The Bottom Line: Costs soared, menu prices rose, but consumers kept spending. Here’s a look at the restaurant industry’s 2022 in a few key charts.

The Bottom Line: Consumer spending continues to grow this holiday season, but it’s slowing, and businesses are more cautious, large banks told investors this week.

Technomic's Take: Consumers are not just choosing between one restaurant or another. They're often deciding if it's worth leaving the house.

New federal statistics show that just 6,000 jobs were filled during the month, compared with the more than 60,000 positions that were added in September.

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