Restaurant operators reported a modest improvement in same-store sales in October. 

Forty-eight percent of restaurant operators said their same-store sales rose between October 2024 and October 2025, according to the National Restaurant Association’s monthly tracking survey. That was up from 45% in September.

Thirty-five percent of operators said their sales declined in October, down from 44% in September.

In contrast to the positive sales readings, restaurant operators continued to report customer traffic declines. 

Thirty-three percent of operators said their customer traffic rose between October 2024 and October 2025, compared to 34% in September. Forty-eight percent of restaurant operators reported lower traffic in October, down from 52% in September. 

October represented the ninth consecutive month in which operators reported a net decline in customer traffic.