Increased consumer optimism and an improving economy proved positive for the restaurant industry as it ushered in a year of growth in 2015. Leading restaurant chains ranked by sales fared even better than the industry overall, particularly in unit growth. Despite an influx of competition, restaurants appear to be on a growth trajectory, carving out their own niches to capture varying consumer occasions.
Industry-wide sales approached $500 billion, topping out at $490.8 billion for the year—an increase of 4.8% from 2014. Unit growth held steady at 1.2% over the previous year.