Due in large part to softer same-store sales and customer traffic results, the National Restaurant Assn.’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) declined in May. The RPI stood at 100.6 in May, down 0.9% from a level of 101.6 in April.

"The RPI continued along a choppy trend line in May, with the index bouncing between moderate gains and losses in recent months," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research for the National Restaurant Assn. "Much of the May dip came from declines in the same-store sales and customer traffic indicators, which softened from their stronger April performance. In addition, operators’ expectations for future business conditions are at the lowest level in three-and-a-half years.”

The RPI consists of two components – the Current Situation Index (measuring current trends) and the Expectations Index (measuring restaurant operators' six-month outlook) – and tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry.

The Current Situation Index stood at 100.2 in May, down 1.8% from April. Despite the decline, it remained above 100, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators.

For the first time in five months, restaurant operators reported a net decline in same-store sales. Forty percent reported a gain in same-store sales between May 2015 and May 2016, down from 58% who reported higher year-over-year sales in April. Meanwhile, 42% of operators reported a same-store sales decline in May, up from 27% the month before.

Additionally, 27% of restaurant operators reported an increase in customer traffic between May 2015 and May 2016, down from 52% who reported higher year-over-year customer traffic in April. Forty-six percent of operators said their traffic declined in May, compared with 32% in April. Despite the softer sales and traffic, restaurant operators continued to report positive capital spending levels.

The Expectations Index stood at 101.0 in May, unchanged from its April level. Although the Expectations Index trended somewhat lower in recent months, it remained above 100 — in expansion territory.