Louisiana restaurants are cooking up growth in 2012.
The restaurant industry is expected to grow and should boast record sales in 2012 after its profits have dipped as a result of national economic woes, according to a forecast released by the National Restaurant Association.
The industry will see an estimated $632 billion in sales and a 3.5 percent increase from 2011, read a news release from the NRA.
The Southwest region, which includes Louisiana, is expected to lead the pack with the highest growth. The region is forecasted to see a 3.9 percent increase in sales.
Erica Papillion, director of communications for the Louisiana Restaurant Association, said the NRA’s forecast accounted for food sales and employment outlook.
The restaurant industry is expected to account for 10 percent of the national employment in 2012, the release said.
There are 189,500 restaurant jobs in Louisiana, Papillion said, and the state expects to add about 17,000 more over the next 10 years.
Papillion said Louisiana’s economy and “restaurant-friendly” culture are responsible for the projected high performance.
“The outlook is a lot better than it is in other parts of the country, and that includes restaurant sales,” Papillion said, adding that more disposable income leads to more restaurant business.
Louisiana’s unemployment rate is lower than the national average, and the recession didn’t cause as much harm as in other states, she said.
Papillion said Louisianans are more willing to eat out on a regular basis because customers see going out to eat as “more of an experience than just going out to get a bite to eat.”
“In Louisiana, we have a culture of eating out [at] a restaurant, eating for pleasure, eating for fun and eating at an event,” Papillion said.
The state’s restaurants also serve as attractive lures for tourists, Papillion said.
“We need restaurants opening up everywhere, and we need people to fill those restaurants,” she said.
But Corey DeBate, manager of Reginelli’s Pizzeria at North Gate, said restaurant growth varies by area. The North Gate area is heavily affected by the University’s activity, he said.
“For us, when football season starts, and if LSU is having a strong season, then we’ll definitely grow,” DeBate said. “We’re fueled by the campus because we’re right here.”
Reginelli’s sees the highest revenue intake during football season, when the area hosts a high concentration of visitors, DeBate said.
 
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Contact Emily Herrington at [email protected]