Updating our Q1 Kalinowski Fast-Casual Same-Store Sales Index (3/27/2024)
With this report, we update our data-driven Kalinowski Fast-Casual Index for Q1 to +4.2%. This is the one-year figure, lapping the +1.6% figure from Q1 2020, +15.3% number from Q1 2021, the +7.7% figure from Q1 2022, and the +11.2% number from Q1 2023. Comparing to Q1 2019 levels — a five-year (pre-pandemic) basis — the Kalinowski Fast-Casual Index for Q1 2024 is at +40.3%. This +40.3% figure is the best of any major restaurant sector. Our latest fast-casual numbers are based on our latest proprietary checks/data as regards same-store sales performance for this segment during January, February, and mid-March.