Research: Restaurant franchising to grow in 2013

Restaurants will be among the strongest performers in a U.S. franchising industry that overall is expected to see slightly lower rates of growth in sales, number of units and employees hired in 2013, according to new research.

Quick-service and table-service restaurant systems with franchisees were included in the “Franchise Business Economic Outlook for 2013” report released Thursday by the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation.

“While we are pleased the [franchise] industry continues growing at a faster rate than other sectors of the economy, we could be growing much faster and creating more new jobs and businesses if Washington addressed the tax, spending and regulatory uncertainty plaguing the small business community,” Steve Caldeira, president and chief executive of Washington, D.C.-based IFA, said Thursday during a conference call with reporters.

IHS Global Insight handled the research and analysis for the report. Analysts there anticipate franchising industry sales from all types of businesses will grow by 4.3 percent in 2013, to $802.38 billion, marking a deceleration from estimated 2012 sales growth of 4.9 percent.

IHS analysts said the quick-service restaurant segment is one of just three franchise business categories, out of 10 in all, expected to see higher rates of sales growth in 2013. For the segment, they forecasted a 5.2-percent increase in sales next year, to $206.50 billion, versus estimated improvement of 5.1 percent this year. Commercial and residential services and retail food are the other two franchise business categories with accelerating sales growth, the analysts indicated.