Sales at Atlanta restaurants continued to grow in the second quarter of 2015, but at a slower pace than in previous quarters, according to a new survey.

Sales were up 1.6 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, with about 63 percent of the 79 independent eateries surveyed by NetFinancials reporting positive comps. That is down from the first quarter of this year when sales were up 5.5 percent.

New restaurant entries and continued unemployment in the metro region impacted overall sales, with the largest number of dining destinations reporting negative comps — 37 percent — since 2010.

“We expect comp sales at existing Atlanta restaurants to recover as the local unemployment rate improves and newly opened restaurants are absorbed into the Atlanta hospitality ecosystem,” said Bob Wagner, president of NetFinancials and a CPA who measures dining habits in Georgia’s capital.

Nationally restaurant revenue increased 1.8 percent in the second quarter, according to Black Box Intelligence, a restaurant sales and traffic-tracking company.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ultralong 84-month loans make new cars look budget-friendly. The real price shows up in interest and negative equity. (David Guralnick/The Detroit News/TNS)

Credit: TNS

Featured

Waymo autonomous vehicles operate across 65 square miles inside I-285 and have been involved in six incidents with Atlanta Public School buses since May. Waymo issued a recall because of their cars briefly stopping or slowing down before continuing forward while a bus was stopped and flashing its lights. (Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools)

Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Public Schools