Boone recently landed among the top five cities in the nation on Nielsen’s annual Restaurant Growth Index. According to the company, the Restaurant Growth Index, or RGI, “charts restaurant openings and sales to identify the nation’s hottest markets.” Boone landed at No. 4 on the list, behind Ocean Pines, Md., Findlay, Ohio, and Liberal, Kan. “Boone is a tourist destination, drawing 225,000 each year. It’s also home to Appalachian State University, which has seen dramatic growth in the last decade and ranks in the top 5 percent for general business growth in Nielsen’s BGI. The influx of students and tourists helped drive up its 2013 RGI score,” an article by Nielsen’s John Torres and Song Lin stated.
Lauringburg and Kill Devil Hills were also among the top 10, ranked #8 and #9, respectively. The index was based on total restaurant counts and sales for 2012, which are derived from data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, Nielsen and Infogroup. The Nielsen Company conducts market research to track consumer trends.