Restaurant operators reported mixed same-store sales results in March, following the elevated readings registered in February. 

Forty-five percent of restaurant operators said their same-store sales rose between March 2025 and March 2026, according to the National Restaurant Association’s monthly tracking survey. That was down from 61% of operators who reported higher sales in February. 

Thirty-nine percent of restaurant operators said their sales declined in March, up from 27% in February.

Restaurant operators reported a net decline in customer traffic in March, after registering positive results in February for the first time in 13 months. 

Thirty-one percent of operators said their customer traffic rose between March 2025 and March 2026, down from 43% in February. 

Forty-six percent of restaurant operators reported lower traffic in March, compared to 30% in February.