The outlook for the restaurant industry remained positive for the coming months, as the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) stood well above 100 in April. The RPI - a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry - stood at 101.6 in April, down 0.6 percent from the strong level of 102.2 registered in March. Despite the decline, April represented the sixth consecutive month that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

"Although the Restaurant Performance Index dipped somewhat in April, it remained solidly in positive territory," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. "Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the 11th consecutive month, and a majority of them expect business to continue to improve in the months ahead."