With Easter coming up this weekend, it’s likely eating outlets will see a sales boost, says CGA‘s Matthew Crompton. In 2019, Easter Sunday experienced velocity growth of +19% in these venues versus the average Sunday in the year to date, driven by an increase in check value of +23%. In comparison, drinking outlets saw velocity down -14% on the Sunday, with a reduction in traffic of -15% being the driving factor.
Velocity in the US over recent weeks has seen a similar pattern to 2019, with a slight decline to April 2 (-3%) followed by growth of +1% in the latest week. All key states are positive compared to last year.
States with COVID-19 restrictions in place this time last year are currently performing strongly in comparison, with New York up +45%, Illinois up +39%, and California up +24%, while the states that had little to no restrictions are only slightly positive (Florida +2%, Texas +1%).
Crompton, CGA Regional Director – North America, said: “The consistent performance of the On-Premise indicates that the sector has returned to seasonal trading patterns, and suggests that we should see a similar performance to 2019 over the Easter weekend with eating outlets seeing a boost, driven by an increase in check value.”