Driven by stronger same-store sales customer traffic and a more optimistic outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose to a 10-month high in March. The RPI stood at 101.4 in March, up 0.9 percent from February’s level of 100.5. In addition, the RPI remained above 100 for the thirteenth consecutive month, signifying expansion in the index of key industry indicators. Fifty-five percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between March 2013 and March 2014, up from 44 percent who reported higher sales in February. In comparison, 32 percent of operators reported a decline in same-store sales in March, down from 37 percent in February.