Restaurant Monthly Sales Trend

February 2019 set a snowfall record for the Twin Cities, which surely didn’t help the month’s bleak sales numbers, down nearly 13% compared to a year ago. This time last year, Minneapolis was host to Super Bowl LII and enjoying a $370 million boost to the local economy. Even without the football hangover, this month’s sales numbers are lower. Valentine’s Day – typically a busy day for restaurants – saw an overall drop of nearly 6%, in line with last month’s overall 5% decline.

Some good news might be around the corner in early April, when US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis welcomes the NCAA 2019 Final Four basketball tournament. It’s estimated that 94,000 visitors will stay in the area . . . let’s hope they’ll all be hungry.

About these metrics:   The MarginEdge monthly snapshot of Minneapolis/St. Paul restaurant sales is based on a sampling of 50+ area restaurants ranging from fast-casual to full-service.