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The top 5 cities for restaurant growthThe top 5 cities for restaurant growth

Here are the metropolitan areas to target, according to CBRE

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

January 16, 2024

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With a challenging real estate market anticipated for the year, where should restaurant companies look for growth?

Economists from real estate services firm CBRE anticipate resilient consumer spending will counter economic headwinds in 2024, including high interest rates and near recessions in Europe and China.

“This anticipated economic bottoming out and initial rebound will affect all sectors of commercial real estate,” the company said in December. “CBRE sees lending remaining tight, property values declining further in the first half of the year before activity rebounds in the second half, a topping out of office vacancy, and a wave of multifamily construction.”

U.S. office vacancy will peak at 19.8% in 2024, up from 18.4% in Q3 2023 and 12.1% at the end of 2019. Office-leasing activity will revive slightly in 2024 but remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels, CBRE said. Companies seeking blocks of office space of less than 20,000 square feet will account for the bulk of leasing activity. Office construction will slow to the lowest level since 2014, raising the prospect of a shortage of available Class-A space later in the year.

CBRE broke down data including population, population growth, and median incomes for individuals and households, and identified five U.S. metropolitan areas that may be primed for growth. Check them out in this gallery, and read more about the real estate market in 2024 here.

Related:What’s up with restaurant real estate in 2024

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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