The Restaurant Group PLC said it anticipates reporting results for the year ended December 28 2008 in line with its expectations.
Like-for-like sales grew 1.5 percent from a year earlier, which compares to 2.5 percent rise for the 45 weeks to November 9 as announced mid-November, with the company calling the full-year figure a “creditable performance” resulting from its distinctive market positions and value for money offerings.
In a pre-close trading update, the company said the like-for-like performance over the seven weeks since the November interim management statement has been reasonable against a deteriorating economic backdrop, albeit at levels below the same period last year.
During the year the group opened 40 new restaurants resulting in a net increase of 24 sites and, as previously announced, expects to open between 18 and 25 in 2009.