# Restaurant sales expectations shift toward flat

> Source: https://qsr.pro/articles/restaurant-sales-outlook-flat-expectations
> Publisher: QSR Pro
> Last content update: 2026-10-31T12:47:54.651292+00:00


Decline expectations fell more than growth expectations.

Published: 2026-10-31T12:47:54.651292+00:00

By QSR Pro Staff

![Restaurant sales expectations shift toward flat](https://gadzwjyojqpwmxtgebnh.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/newsroom/2026-10-31/rpi-sales-outlook-4506554cad28.webp)

*AI-generated illustration: QSR.pro.*

Flat sales expectations nearly matched growth expectations in the National Restaurant Association’s [September report](https://restaurant.org/NRA/media/Research/RPI/2024/RPI-September-2026.pdf#page=2), [updated October 30](https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/research/restaurant-economic-insights/restaurant-performance-index/).

Looking six months ahead against the corresponding prior-year period, [41% of surveyed operators expected higher sales, 40% little change and 19% lower sales](https://restaurant.org/NRA/media/Research/RPI/2024/RPI-September-2026.pdf#page=2).

The [August report](https://restaurant.org/NRA/media/Research/RPI/2024/RPI-August-2026.pdf#page=2) put higher, unchanged and lower expectations at 44%, 32% and 24%.

Decline expectations fell 5 percentage points; growth expectations fell 3. Subtracting lower from higher gives [22 points](https://restaurant.org/NRA/media/Research/RPI/2024/RPI-September-2026.pdf#page=2), up from [20](https://restaurant.org/NRA/media/Research/RPI/2024/RPI-August-2026.pdf#page=2). Unchanged expectations gained 8 points.

These percentages describe respondents, not projected sales growth.

The outlook charts use later month labels than the reports’ titles. This comparison uses report editions, without assuming identical respondents.

Category: [Industry Analysis](https://qsr.pro/categories/industry)