Economic News – Foodservice Equipment Reports Magazine

MAFSI Barometer: Sales Show Slim Progress

FER Edit — Mon, 11 May 2026 19:31:11 +0000

Overall sales for Q1/26 increased by 1.0% versus Q1/25, according to the MAFSI Business Barometer, a nonfood sales/trend indicator for the foodservice industry. The result fell well short of the 3.5% forecasted. By product category, sales were -0.5%, tabletop; 0.6%, furniture; 0.9%, equipment; and 4.9%, supply. By region, sales shrank by -1.3%, Midwest, and grew by 0.9%, West; 1.3%, South; 2.3%

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National Restaurant Association Shares Business Application Data

FER Edit — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:01:59 +0000

In March, 26,786 business applications were filed for new accommodation and foodservices establishments, shares the National Restaurant Association, highlighting data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This was down from 27,820 in February, and figures averaged roughly 26,500 over the past eight months, says the association. “Despite recent moderation, start-up activity in accommodation and…

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Datassential: Toastique Marks Top Emerging Chain in US

FER Edit — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:47:19 +0000

Toastique marks the No. 1 emerging restaurant chain, according to the Datassential 500 report. In a March 18 release, the firm offered a sneak peek into the top 25 emerging chains, highlighting concepts that are rapidly growing across the U.S. Brands earned a spot for achieving “meaningful scale while also demonstrating consistent multi-year growth, innovation, and strong alignment with the…

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NAFEM Survey Reveals Top Issues Impacting Manufacturers

FER Edit — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 18:29:51 +0000

Tariffs have grown to become the No. 1 business challenge for foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers, according to a 2026 NAFEM survey. Regulatory compliance burdens also remain a substantial challenge, which NAFEM pointed to in its 2023 survey. Volatility is no longer a short-term disruption for manufacturers but a structural business condition, NAFEM states in the release.

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MAFSI Barometer: Sales Continue To Improve

FER Edit — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:54:34 +0000

Overall sales for Q4/25 rose to 2.4% from 2.1% in Q3/25, and in excess of the 1.7% that was forecasted, according to the MAFSI Business Barometer, a nonfood sales/trend indicator for the foodservice industry. Q4/25 marked the third consecutive quarter of modest improvement. By product category, Q4/25 sales compared to Q4/24 were the following: tabletop, 4%; supply, 3%; equipment, 2.1%

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Restaurant, Foodservice Sales To Reach $1.55T

FER Edit — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:58:50 +0000

The restaurant and foodservice industry will see modest growth in the year ahead, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 State of the Restaurant Industry report. Specifically, the association projects sales will reach $1.55 trillion and restaurant operators will add more than 100,000 jobs. In comparison, the association put sales in 2025 at $1.4 trillion.

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2026 State of the Foodservice Industry

Christine Lafave Grace — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:20:45 +0000

Even for a year that started with a lot of open questions, 2025 has dwelled in uncertainty in a way that few could have predicted 12 months ago. To what extent would the second Trump administration execute on its campaign tough talk on tariffs and immigration? (To great extent, in fact.) When would the Federal Reserve start lowering interest rates? (Not until September.) How well would the labor…

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MAFSI Again Reports Modest Sales Growth

FER Edit — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:25:09 +0000

MAFSI posted overall foodservice sales for Q3/25 and offered a glimpse ahead to 2026 in its latest Business Barometer. Q3/25 sales improved to 2.1% versus 1.6% in Q2/25 and just short of the forecast of 2.7%. This was the second consecutive modest gain in quarterly sales. Over the past seven quarters, sales were 0.0%, -1.0%, -0.6%, 0.2%, 0.0%, 1.6% and now 2.1%. “The market has moved to slightly…

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Q2 Barometer Seemingly Shows ‘Best-Case Scenario’

FER Edit — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 19:29:07 +0000

Following a flat reading in Q1, the most recent quarter saw a slight uptick in sales, according to the new MAFSI Barometer. Q2’s 1.6% increase was the largest gain in 18 months, notes Michael R. Posternak, CEO PBAC and Associates, in his executive summary. “Sluggish growth, at this point, seems to be the best-case scenario,” Posternak adds. “The temperature of the market can also now be…

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Consumers’ Summer Dining Adds Up

FER Edit — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 15:38:35 +0000

Last month, consumers’ restaurant spend rose 0.6% over the prior month, according to analysis by the National Restaurant Association, and 6.6% year-over-year. June’s sales totaled $98.7 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Census Bureau. After factoring for rising menu price inflation, the association says sales were up 2.6% between June 2024 and…

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