September 2026 restaurant sales metrics and trends

Key takeaways Fast Casual sales grew +2.65% year-over-year in September 2026 (trailing 28-day average) Full Service sales fell -2.23% year-over-year in September 2026 (trailing 28-day average) Food costs averaged 29% of sales , a slight increase from August 2026 Fresh blueberries were September’s biggest price mover, up +42% month-over-month Eggs dropped the most, down -26% month-over-month The Northeast was the top-performing region, up +10%