NPD: Retail outlets steal share from restaurantsNPD: Retail outlets steal share from restaurants

While foodservice operators have been fervently attempting to lure customers into their restaurants, home-meal replacement providers like supermarkets, discount stores and price clubs have been successfully winning over these same consumers.

If restaurateurs are serious about increasing customer traffic, officials at market research firm The NPD Group said, they are going to have to adopt a broader view of who their competition is — one that includes retailers.

According to new data from the Port Washington, N.Y.-based firm, instances of prepared food purchased at retailers and eaten at home have grown 12 percent since 2006 and are forecast to grow more than twice the pace of the restaurant industry overall. By 2022 NPD expects retail home...