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Report: Fast-casual industry shows no signs of slowing down
Chicago -- According to Technomic's Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report, fast casual makes up just 14% of the total $223 billion limited-service restaurant segment, but its sales continue to outpace other operators. Fast-casual sales increased 13% in 2012, and the largest chains — those which each made more than $325 million last year — did even better, growing by 16%.
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Back-to-school sales forecast to fall
Average spending per school age child is expected to decline this year from 2012 levels, according to the National Retail Federation, setting the stage for heightened competition in an already intensely competitive seasonal selling period.
NRF said spending per child in grades K-12 would decline to $634 in 2013 compared to $688 last year and spending per college student would decline to $836 from $907. The trade group forecast total K-12 spending of $26.7 billion and total back-to-college spending of $45.8 billion for a combined market size of $72.5 billion.