Wagamama - Competitors

Wagamama Competition

Now Viewing Wagamama's competition in: Restaurants

Recent Developments

Restaurant Bankruptcies Hurt Some, Help Others - The recent bankruptcy of Bennigan's and Steak & Ale chain restaurant owner S&A Restaurant Corp. has some in the industry nervous, but a wave of closings won't be coming any time soon. Rather, experts say that Bennigan's casual dining category had too many restaurants for the market to support, and that some closings were inevitable. Industry experts note that the restaurants that survive may benefit by increasing their customer base, and taking advantage of the valuable real estate left behind by Bennigan's closings.

Restaurants Offering Healthier Foods - Healthy eating may have once been just a fad, but many restaurants are now making real changes. According to the National Restaurant Association, nearly 75 percent of Americans are concerned about eating healthily in restaurants, which is influencing how restaurants plan menus. Experts also say that New York City's recent legislative actions, which ban trans fats in cooking and require calorie and nutrition information on menus, is starting a trend toward similar legislation across the US, such as in California.

Growth in Chain Restaurants Slows in 2007 - Chain restaurant sales rose 5.4 percent in 2007 compared to 2006, according to an index of the top 400 chain restaurants by Restaurants & Institutions. While the growth is positive for the industry, experts note that it's down from the 6.8 percent growth in 2006 compared to 2005. While 2008 numbers won't be available until well into 2009, industry experts say that the faltering US economy may hurt chain restaurant sales for the remainder of 2008.

Competitive Landscape

Demographics, consumer tastes, and personal income drive demand. The profitability of individual companies can vary: while QSRs rely on efficient operations and high volume sales, FSRs rely on high-margin items and effective marketing. Large companies have advantages in purchasing, finance, and marketing. Small companies can offer superior food or service. The industry is highly labor-intensive: annual revenue per worker is between $40,000 and $45,000.

Full Industry Overview For Restaurants

Restaurants Industry Forecast

from Hoover's/D&B subsidiary First Research

The output of US eating and drinking places is forecast to increase at an annual compounded rate of 4.2 percent between 2007 and 2012.

Eating and Drinking Places Growth Steady

First Research forecasts are based on INFORUM forecasts that are licensed from the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. (IERF) in College Park, MD. INFORUM's "interindustry-macro" approach to modeling the economy captures the links between industries and the aggregate economy.