Maryland-area restaurants and bars will continue to see steady growth in 2008 according to a forecast released this week by a national industry group.
Maryland?s restaurant industry is projected to pull in $8.4 billion in 2008, an increase of 4.5 percent over its 2007 sales of $8.04 billion according to the National Restaurant Association?s 2008 industry forecast released Wednesday.
The state?s projected sales next year rank 20th in the nation. The forecast also calls for job growth in the industry to increase 14.2 percent between 2008 and 2018.
The Maryland Restaurant Association is at work on its own report and projections for next year, which spokesman Melvin Thompson said will be released in January.
There are some differences in the way the two groups collect data. The state group focuses on bars and restaurants, excluding venues like company cafeterias and snack bars that the national association includes. But the national report was in line with the $8.5 billion in sales the state group reported for fiscal year 2007, Thompson said. “In general we?ve seen about a 4 to 6 percent increase in sales eachyear for the past three years.”
It was too early to see what kind of picture the group?s report might paint.
“I?ve heard from some people anecdotally that their August and September was slower than usual,” Thompson said. “But we won?t have exact numbers until the report comes out.”
Paul Zielinski, director of development for Baltimore-based Phillips Foods, said he wasn?t surprised by the growth in Maryland and across the country, fueled by changing lifestyles, an increase in baby boomers? disposable income, and families with two working parents.
Zielinski also pointed to increased competition among restaurants, who meet that demand with new interior designs and expanded menus with more choices.
“Ten years ago, you didn?t have any of the concepts you have in restaurants today. The competition has forced all of us to improve our ways,” he said. “Given the trends and given the competition that?s out there, it?s been good for consumers and restaurants.”
