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US restaurant outlook positive for second half of 2026. U.S. restaurant industry analysts are expecting a strong second half of the year, driven by a resurgent labor market and lower gas prices. Despite increased labor costs and other economic challenges, the National Restaurant Association (NRA) has a positive outlook for summer restaurant sales, and anticipates that overall restaurant sales will remain resilient in the second half of 2026, projecting growth to strengthen to 4.8 percent. "After a bumpy first half of 2026, economic conditions are projected to improve during the last six months of the year," the organization said in an economic analysis. "Most notable is the expectation of lower gasoline prices, which spent nearly three months above USD 4 (EUR 3.45) [per gallon]. That should ease the pressure on household budgets, providing some support for restaurant traffic and broader consumer spending." In inflation-adjusted terms, however, restaurant sales are projected to increase 0.8 percent in 2026, compared to a 1.3 percent increase forecast in early 2026. The resurgent U.S. labor market should also buoy growth in the second half, NRA said. Employers added more than a half-million jobs during the first six months of 2026 - a pace of payroll expansion not seen in nearly two years. Additionally, the U.S. economy will add more than 1 million net new jobs this year - a solid improvement from last year's modest employment growth, NRA said. "When employment is strong and wages are rising, consumer spending typically remains resilient, including discretionary categories such as restaurants," NRA said. At the same time, the NRA found that customer traffic levels remain uneven, which means much of the sales growth is driven by higher menu prices - a continued necessity due to higher costs across the restaurant operation. Food and labor costs are the two most significant line items for a restaurant, each accounting for approximately 33 cents of every dollar in sales, NRA said. "While their growth rates moderated somewhat during the first half of 2026, both remain significantly elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels," the organization noted. In fact, average wholesale food prices are up 35 percent, while hourly earnings of restaurant employees have jumped 41 percent since February 2020. "At the same time, operators are also contending with sharply higher expenses for insurance, taxes, credit card swipe fees, and other inputs. With that as a backdrop, it's not surprising that 33 percent of operators said their restaurant was not profitable during the first half of 2026," NRA said. In the second half of the year, food and labor costs are expected to remain elevated, putting additional pressure on margins. In response, restaurant operators will need to remain focused on improving efficiency and productivity across various aspects of their operations while identifying opportunities to manage costs, according to NRA. Inflation, however, remains a complicating factor for restaurants. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) deflator inclined 4.1 percent on a year-over-year basis in May, the fastest pace of inflation since April 2023. Core PCE inflation, which excludes food and energy, edged higher from 3.3 percent to 3.4 percent, its highest reading since October 2023. "Overall, inflation remains persistently elevated and is moving in an unfavorable direction... Policymakers have struck a more hawkish tone in recent communications, reflecting renewed concern about inflation," NRA said. Consumers will likely benefit from declining pump prices in the second half of the year, as well as continued growth in employment and wages. NRA forecasts real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 2.4 percent in 2026, above the 2.1 percent pace in 2025. Positive recent restaurant performance was reflected in Houston, Texas, U.S.A.-based Sysco's earnings for its fiscal fourth quarter ending 27 June, in which sales increased 4.7 percent; U.S. Foodservice volume rose 2.5 percent; and gross profit hiked up 3.7 percent to USD 4.1 billion (EUR 3.5 billion). On the other hand, sales were more moderate for Sysco's full fiscal year 2026, rising 3.9 percent, while U.S. Foodservice volume increased 1.4 percent. Similarly, Q2 fiscal 2026 net sales for distributor US Foods rose 4.5 percent to USD 10.5 billion (EUR 9 billion), while gross profit soared 8 percent to USD 1.9 billion (EUR 1.6 billion). In the midst of a "challenging but stable industry environment," US Foods Chair of the Board and CEO Dave Flitman said the company's results are in line with its long-range plan, including 10 percent Adjusted EBITDA growth and 21 percent Adjusted Diluted EPS growth, driven by 29 basis points of margin expansion and 5 percent independent restaurant case growth. Overall, restaurant visits grew this summer, per foot traffic firm Placer.ai. Visits to U.S. fast casual restaurants hiked up 4 percent for the week of 10 August and rose 3.2 percent for quick service restaurants - an impressive feat with higher fuel costs, tariffs, and other economic challenges. Likewise, traffic to Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.-based Red Lobster soared after it brought back its Endless Shrimp promotion in April, peaking at a 24 percent increase year over year for the week of 27 April and holding double-digit gains into early June, per Placer.ai. Contributing Editor Christine Blank, a veteran freelance writer and editor, covers all aspects of the seafood industry, from fishing to processing to selling and serving the final product. When she is not writing for SeafoodSource, Christine gets to taste scrumptious seafood dishes at U.S. restaurants for her food and travel blog, Flavorful Excursions (www.flavorfulexcursions.net). Christine loves to eat seafood of any kind, but lobster, crab and crawfish are among her favorites. In addition to SeafoodSource.com and

Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) has secured a new $750 million senior unsecured delayed draw term loan facility to help finance its previously announced acquisition of JRD Unico, Inc. and Warehouse Realty, LLC. The company established the facility, named the CoBank Term Loan, through a First Amendment to its existing revolving credit agreement, dated September 4, 2026.

Brighter Bites adds to board of directors. Brighter Bites has appointed Elton Evans, founder, executive chairman and chief executive officer of TruSource, to its board of directors. Evans brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience across food distribution, healthcare, industrial manufacturing, and building products. Throughout his career, he has led multibillion-dollar enterprises through growth, transformation and complex operating environments, drawing on deep expertise in strategy, operations, financial leadership, mergers and acquisitions and governance. His deep understanding of the fresh food supply chain, combined with a proven ability to scale organizations, will help advance the organization's mission of creating healthier communities by changing behavior through fresh food and nutrition education. "As we continue to grow our impact, we're committed to building a board of directors that brings exceptional expertise and a deep passion for our mission," said Rich Dachman, CEO of Brighter Bites. "I have been fortunate enough to have worked with Elton in my past career. His deep knowledge of finance and the produce and food distribution industries, combined with his strategic vision and commitment to strengthening communities, make him an outstanding addition to our board. We're excited to welcome him to the Brighter Bites family." [Elton Evans] Evans founded TruSource, a growing collective of leading regional produce companies built to create scale while preserving the local relationships and service customers trust. Before that, he served as an executive advisor at Red Arts Capital, where he helped develop the strategy and operating model that ultimately became the foundation for the company. Previously, Evans served as chief financial officer of foodservice operations at Sysco. His career also includes executive leadership roles at PepsiCo, Cardinal Health, Stanley Black & Decker, and US LBM, where he developed a reputation for driving growth, operational excellence, and organizational transformation. "Access to fresh food is essential, but lasting impact comes from helping families build the knowledge and confidence to make healthier choices," said Evans. "Brighter Bites brings those elements together in a model that can reach more communities without losing the local connection that makes it effective. I am honored to join the board and contribute my experience in food distribution, growth and operations as the organization expands its impact." Evans is a member of The Executive Leadership Council. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina A&T State University and an MBA from Bellarmine University. He has also completed executive education certification at Duke University and the Columbia Business School CFO Program. His appointment reflects the organization's continued commitment to bringing together leaders from across the produce industry and business community to help ensure every family has access to fresh, healthy food and the tools to build lifelong healthy habits.