This month we look at: tomato prices, prepping for the World Cup, three tips for increasing guest retention, inflation and national restaurant sales trends from April.
It's the middle of May, which means you're hopefully reading this in a state of post-Mother's Day rest and relaxation. As one of the busiest days in our industry, we know what a whirlwind that Sunday is for our community, and so we wanted to send a big kudos and shout out to you all who work so hard to make that day special for the moms in our lives (and especially to the moms who were working that day!).
This month, we're looking at red-hot tomato prices, guest retention best practices and some tips on preparing for the World Cup - even if you're not in a host city, so scroll down to read more.
Lastly, May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so we've released a Gift Guide highlighting some incredible products brought to us by AAPI-owned and operated restaurant businesses. Head here to check it out and show your support!
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With summer, Memorial Day Weekend and the World Cup all on the way, we are sending out best wishes for a busy and profitable June! See you then.
- Rachel & the MarginEdge team
P.S. If you took our very, very accurate Restaurant Personality Type quiz, your May mantras are here!
The trailing 4-week (28-day) average of year-over-year (YOY) sales for Fast Casual came in at +4.37% and Full Service at +1.81% at the end of April compared to 2025 sales.
Food costs averaged 29% of sales last month, which was the same as in March.
Nothing says summer like a juicy, bright-red tomato, but prices for our favorite fruit-masquerading-as-a-vegetable friends have been leaving us feeling high and dry. Let's look at prices across the top two most purchased tomato varieties across our 12,000+ restaurant clients.
The current fresh tomato median price per pound across MarginEdge clients is $3.73, which is up +181% from six months ago, and +239% from 12 months ago.
For Roma tomatoes, the current median price per pound across MarginEdge clients is $2.73, which is up +135% from six months ago, and +168% from 12 months ago.
The increase is thanks to a mixture of bad weather, increased fertilizer costs, a weakening dollar and a 17% tarriff on tomatoes imported from Mexico. On top of that, as fuel prices stay elevated, making transportation more expensive as well, these higher costs could continue into summer.
Thompson Italian | Multiple Locations, VA
Whether it's Google, Facebook, TikTok, mailing lists or good old-fashioned bus stop bench ads - marketing costs for restaurants trying to get new guests in the door can really add up. And what you spend (aka the cost of acquisition, or CAC) can really start to take a bite out of your profits if they don't pan out as you'd hope.
Instead of pouring more money into finding new guests, it's often cheaper and more effective to put some of that time and effort into increasing visits and spending from your existing guests (aka building deeper customer loyalty). So, here are three practical, low-cost ways to increase returning guest visits and keep them coming back for more.
Email and text marketing have their place and are definitely effective marketing tools when used intentionally, but when it comes to building loyalty in an age of mailing list fatigue, it's often better to stay analog, not digital. Think about a simple paper "your 10th visit's on us" punch card. Your guests don't have to worry about tracking their points or remembering their discount code or offer, and it allows your team to interact one-on-one with your guests to give them the card.
If you run multiple locations, make sure your analog program works across all your stores. You can even use it to encourage guests to visit other locations by having different punches or stamps for each store, and if guests visit all of them, they get something really juicy! Now that everything is digital, analog touchpoints feel more personal, somewhat nostalgic and stand out from the other 15 promo emails they've got swimming in their inbox.
If you're already collecting guest purchasing and visit data from your POS or another platform, use that data internally to surprise your guests instead of shooting off an offer trying to get them to come in. If you see it's someone's 5th visit, comp their dessert and mention that you're surprising them because of their loyalty. They get a free dessert, and now know that the more often they come, the more likely they are to be surprised. The cheapest time to build guest retention is when they're already in your four walls, so find ways to start there.
We all want a place we can go where everyone knows our name, so make sure your team is trained on the importance of making regulars feel like regulars. It can be as simple as remembering their names and drink orders, or something more complex like keeping reservation notes about dishes they loved, a dietary restriction, or their preferred table.
For multi-unit operations, it’s easy for regulars to feel like strangers when they visit a different branch. You can fix this by sharing customer data across your locations. Train your team to check reservation notes or order histories so they can greet guests like old friends to make a normal meal feel special.
It's not a new concept, but great food and great hospitality are the surest way to keep guests returning time and time again. No fancy apps or digital tools necessary!
💬 Ask [me] anything!
Really. Each month we’ll take a look at the questions we get and answer one here. Have a question about our product, accounting, or restaurant operations in general? 💌 Email me or message us on our social media channels.
The Migrant Kitchen | New York City, NY
The April 2026 Consumer Price Index (CPI) report is in, and indicates the following month-over-month changes in food inflation:
Full Service Meals: Up 0.1% from March, and up by 3.8% YOY.
Overall, inflation came in at 3.8%, which was up, but not by much, from last month. Energy was once again the key contributor, but month-over-month changes were much smaller than from February to March. The sustained increase very likely means rate cuts are not coming anytime soon, and if costs continue to rise, rate hikes may be on the table later in the year.
Tl;dr - Food at home prices jumped, restaurant prices maintained a steady increase. Continued inflation could lead to interest rate increases, rather than cuts, later this year.
Bigham Tavern | Pittsburgh, PA
The 2026 World Cup is poised to be a game-changer for restaurant operators across North America, bringing over 1 million international visitors across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Spanning five weeks from June 11 to July 19, this global event will create a surge in food and beverage demand, with tourists spending an estimated $140-$180 per person daily.
But the impact doesn’t stop at the host cities. Secondary markets, regional hubs and even highway corridors will see a significant boost as some tourists will travel up to 80 miles or more to explore, dine, and experience local culture.
Based on data compiled from past World Cup transaction reports, Infinite Restaurants AI created an ultimate guide to navigating this unprecedented opportunity, offering data-driven insights and strategies to help operators prepare for supply chain disruptions, streamline menus and attract high-spending visitors.
Whether you’re near a stadium or miles away, here are four key takeaways to ensure you’re ready to thrive during the World Cup frenzy.
Why it matters: Traffic congestion and delivery delays will disrupt supply chains, especially in secondary markets and along major travel routes.
What you can do: Secure non-perishables, paper goods, beverages and high-demand items (like fried food ingredients) well in advance. Work with local distributors to ensure consistent supply and avoid mid-tournament shortages.
Why it matters: A simplified menu reduces dependency on hard-to-source ingredients and speeds up kitchen operations during peak demand.
What you can do: Focus on high-throughput, crowd-pleasing dishes with overlapping ingredients. Fried foods and portable options are proven winners in sports-driven environments.
Why it matters: Super Tourists are high-spending, mobile visitors who travel in groups, dine late (9-11 PM), and prefer local, independent restaurants.
What you can do: Extend operating hours (and plan labor accordingly!), create group-friendly meal options and market your restaurant as a destination for fans looking for authentic, local experiences.
Why it matters: Tournament-related congestion will slow deliveries and reduce distributor capacity, especially in secondary and tertiary markets.
What you can do: Coordinate with suppliers to adjust delivery schedules, explore alternative routes and consider renting additional storage to hold extra inventory. Plan for delays and ensure your shelves stay stocked.
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