Restaurant operators reported a net increase in same-store sales in January, although comparisons were bolstered by much softer year-ago levels.

Fifty-one percent of restaurant operators said their same-store sales rose between January 2024 and January 2025, according to the National Restaurant Association’s monthly tracking survey. That was up from 37% of operators who reported higher sales in December.

Thirty-five percent of operators said their sales declined in January, down from 41% in December.

Restaurant operators also reported a net increase in customer traffic levels in January.

Forty-six percent of operators said their customer traffic rose between January 2024 and January 2025, up from just 27% of operators who reported higher traffic in December.

Thirty-eight percent of operators said their traffic declined in January, down from 46% in December.