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In recessionary times, restaurants often feel the pinch well before other businesses as consumers tighten their financial belts. This is especially true for any restaurant not considered a fast food operation. However, it is amazing to see some operators flourish - even when the rest of the country is facing record unemployment and reduced spending.
In our State of Your Restaurant Survey for 2009, we asked members to tell us how they have fared during one of the largest recessions of modern times. The report below shows the collective responses for all respondents. While this information is beneficial, more meaningful comparisons can be made by reviewing the results of those restaurants more closely related to your concept or located within your geographical area. To help you, we have filtered the responses and prepared summary reports for the following areas: Service Style, Market Size and Geographic region.
| Learn how other operators have responded to the recession by viewing their individual responses to these questions: | |
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| | What's the smartest or most effective change you've made in response to a slower economy? |
| | Has the recession curtailed any plans for growing or expanding your business? |
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| Was your restaurant PROFITABLE during the first half of 2009? | All Respondents | Full Service (Fine dining) | Full Service (Casual/family) | Limited Service (Fast casual/buffet) | QSR Counter Service | Bar/Tavern | Takeout/ Catering |
| # of responses | (627) | (66) | (398) | (63) | (30) | (37) | (26) |
| Yes, our NET INCOME was greater than 10% of sales | 18.3% | 15.4% | 19.6% | 25.4% | 3.3% | 10.8% | 15.4% |
| Yes, our NET INCOME was between 2% to 10% of sales | 31.1% | 26.2% | 33.4% | 15.9% | 50.0% | 24.3% | 34.6% |
| We were marginally profitable or broke-even | 22.2% | 18.5% | 21.9% | 19.0% | 26.7% | 29.7% | 23.1% |
| No, we had a NET LOSS equal to less than 10% of sales | 14.0% | 12.3% | 14.6% | 17.5% | 13.3% | 13.5% | 3.8% |
| No, we had a NET LOSS of more than 10% of sales | 10.8% | 23.1% | 7.0% | 17.5% | 6.7% | 18.9% | 15.4% |
| Other | 3.7% | 4.6% | 3.5% | 4.8% | 0% | 2.7% | 7.7% |
| How does your 2009 NET INCOME compare to the same period in 2008? | All Respondents | Full Service (Fine dining) | Full Service (Casual/family) | Limited Service (Fast casual/buffet) | QSR Counter Service | Bar/Tavern | Takeout/ Catering |
| Much better | 13.5% | 13.8% | 13.9% | 11.9% | 20.0% | 8.3% | 11.5% |
| A little better | 26.6% | 27.7% | 29.8% | 22.0% | 23.3% | 8.3% | 15.4% |
| About the same | 15.3% | 6.2% | 15.9% | 20.3% | 10.0% | 16.7% | 19.2% |
| A little worse | 21.8% | 18.5% | 22.4% | 25.4% | 13.3% | 25.0% | 19.2% |
| Much worse | 14.4% | 26.2% | 11.6% | 6.8% | 23.3% | 30.6% | 15.4% |
| Other | 8.4% | 7.7% | 6.4% | 13.6% | 10.0% | 11.1% | 19.2% |
| How do your 2009 SALES compare to the same period in 2008? | All Respondents | Full Service (Fine dining) | Full Service (Casual/family) | Limited Service (Fast casual/buffet) | QSR Counter Service | Bar/Tavern | Takeout/ Catering |
| Sales up 10% or more | 16.8% | 9.4% | 18.1% | 13.3% | 26.7% | 10.8% | 24.0% |
| Sales up 2% to 10% | 18.1% | 10.9% | 20.4% | 25.0% | 13.3% | 8.1% | 4.0% |
| About the same as last year | 13.2% | 14.1% | 13.3% | 15.0% | 6.7% | 16.2% | 8.0% |
| Sales down 2% to 10% | 20.6% | 20.3% | 21.2% | 16.7% | 26.7% | 18.9% | 16.0% |
| Sales down 11% to 20% | 14.5% | 21.9% | 14.0% | 11.7% | 16.7% | 10.8% | 16.0% |
| Sales down more than 20% | 8.8% | 17.2% | 6.1% | 8.3% | 0.0% | 24.3% | 20.0% |
| Other | 7.8% | 6.3% | 6.9% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.8% | 12.0% |
| How would you describe the overall financial condition of your business at this time? | All Respondents | Full Service (Fine dining) | Full Service (Casual/family) | Limited Service (Fast casual/buffet) | QSR Counter Service | Bar/Tavern | Takeout/ Catering |
| Good to excellent (sufficient cash for owner distributions) | 29.6% | 25.8% | 32.4% | 28.6% | 23.3% | 21.6% | 19.2% |
| Adequate (able to pay bills when due) | 40.5% | 42.4% | 39.2% | 33.3% | 56.7% | 37.8% | 53.8% |
| Poor (challenges paying bills when due) | 22.4% | 24.2% | 21.1% | 31.7% | 16.7% | 21.6% | 23.1% |
| Dreadful (financial challenges threatening our survival) | 5.8% | 4.5% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 3.3% | 13.5% | 3.8% |
| Other | 1.8% | 3.0% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 0.0% | 5.4% | 0.0% |
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| Canada | North Central | Northeast | South | West |
| Alberta | Illinois | Connecticut | Arkansas | Arizona |
| British Columbia | Indiana | Maine | Delaware | California |
| Manitoba | Iowa | Massachusetts | District of Columbia | Colorado |
| New Brunswick | Kansas | New Hampshire | Florida | Idaho |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Michigan | New Jersey | Georgia | Nevada |
| Northwest Territories | Minnesota | New York | Kentucky | New Mexico |
| Nova Scotia | Missouri | Pennsylvania | Louisiana | Oregon |
| Ontario | Montana | Rhode Island | Maryland | Utah |
| Prince Edwards Island | Nebraska | Vermont | Mississippi | Washington |
| Quebec | North Dakota | North Carolina | Wyoming | |
| Saskatchewan | Ohio | Oklahoma | ||
| Yukon | South Dakota | South Carolina | ||
| Wisconsin | Tennessee | |||
| Texas | ||||
| Virginia | ||||
| West Virginia |
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