Data out today from the U.S. Census shows that restaurants’ market share (with grocery stores/supermarkets making up the other component) was 56.4% in October 2024. This is a new all-time high for the domestic restaurant industry in this regard. The year-over-year gain was about +40 basis points, marking slight sequential acceleration from September 2024’s +30 basis-point market-share rise.

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data shows that prices for food-at-home (grocery stores and supermarkets) rose by +1.1% in October — sequentially down by -20 basis points from September’s +1.3%. This +1.1% number compares with price for food-away-from-home (restaurants) that increased by +3.8% year-over-year in October (sequentially down by -10 basis points from September’s +3.9%). This marks the 20th month in a row for which restaurant pricing is outpacing grocery/supermarket pricing.