We all know food and restaurants drive traffic to shopping centers. Now, drink in some facts from Citigroup Smith Barney that you might not have known:

46% of all American adults are restaurant patrons on any given day

$426.1 billion
U.S. sales at restaurants in 2003

Ratio of adults who say eating at restaurants makes them more productive

The most popular month to eat out

78% of U.S. households order carryout or delivery food at least once a month

30% of all retailers are restaurants or other outlets that specialize in food service

139 Number of restaurant-prepared meals Americans eat per year

1.9% Average annualized growth rate of U.S. restaurants during next 10 years

UNDER 25 households headed by this age group allocate the largest share (45.5%) of their food budgets to food away from home

$284 Amount spent per seat on marketing and promotion in a given year by the average quick service restaurant

meals will be eaten in U.S. restaurants and work/school cafeterias this year

The least popular day to eat out

70% of eating and drinking places are single-unit (independent) operations