The U.S. restaurant industry made a solid turnaround last year after a disappointing 2022 and continued to perform despite inflationary pressures. Sales soared as Americans continued to spend lavishly on eating out, helping the industry recover from the setback during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Commerce Department reported last week that sales at U.S. bars and restaurants totaled $96.1 billion in December, increasing 8.7% month over month. On a year-over-year basis, restaurant sales jumped a who ...