The outlook for the restaurant industry remained positive in April, as the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of restaurant activity stood above 100 for the second consecutive month. The Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – was essentially unchanged from its previous month's level; the RPI stood at 100.4 in April, down slightly from its March level of 100.5. RPI levels above 100 indicate expansion of key industry indicators.

"Although the sales and traffic indicators softened somewhat from their March performance, restaurant operators remain optimistic that business conditions will improve in the months ahead," says Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. "In addition, restaurant operators reported a positive outlook for staffing gains, as well as continued plans for capital expenditures in the coming months."

The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, and index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The RPI consists of two components, the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.

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