July in the District can be scorching one moment, drenched by a downpour the next… and it’s the same story for DC-area restaurants. Fast-casual enjoyed another month of positive sales growth, albeit a fraction over a quarter of a percent, bringing the trailing 12-month growth rate to more than 1%. Flipping to the full-service sector, the damp trend we’ve seen so far in 2019 continued. Traditional restaurants had a tough month, with sales down more than 5%, although it’s worth noting that the trailing 12-months rate is down less dramatically at about 2%. Things weren’t helped by flash flooding on July 8th, when the area was deluged by a month’s worth of rain that fell in just a few hours.
About these metrics: The MarginEdge monthly snapshot of DC Metro restaurant sales is based on a sampling of 100+ area restaurants ranging from fast-casual to full-service.