The total number of U.S. restaurants dropped last fall by 2%, and the ratio of eateries to people is at the lowest point since the recession, the Chicago Tribune reports.
According to new data from research and consulting firm The NPD Group, the makeup of the remaining eateries is changing at a rapid pace too, as the number of independent restaurants is falling while the number of chain restaurants is climbing.
NPD, which measured commercial restaurants open as of Sept. 30, counted a total of 620,807 restaurants in the U.S. Independent restaurants fell by 4% since the fall of 2015, while the number of chain restaurants rose by 1% compared with a year earlier.
Independent restaurants are highly concentrated in sit-down dining, which has seen a slowdown in visits as more Americans choose to grab food on the go. The so-called fast-casual segment, which includes chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread, is still growing rapidly. Restaurants in that segment rose by 7%, NPD says.
