Report Shows Fast Casual Grew By 10.4 Percent, Or $3.4 Billion in 2015 Across the Globe

For consumers, going out to eat is back in style. When they have a little extra money in their pockets, they’re willing to spend it dining out. However consumers are frequenting one type of restaurant more than others: fast casual.

According to a recent story in Fast Casual, a study from the market research company Euromonitor International showed consumer foodservice sales grew 5.7 percent globally in 2015, up from a 5.3 percent growth rate the year before. But the fast casual segment growth rate was much higher. Fast casual sales grew 10.4 percent, or $3.4 billion, in 2015. It’s the highest rate of growth across the entire restaurant industry.

In an interview with Fast Casual, consumer foodservice strategy analyst Elizabeth Friend said, “ Consumers are shifting their dining preferences, especially in developed markets. Coffee shops, for example, saw a high increase in sales last year, which shows the dining-out culture is continuing to evolve toward more modern, premium, casual and social experiences.”

Asian restaurant sales trailed closely behind the fast casual segment, growing 9.3 percent in 2015. 

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