This is the Fox News Rundown Extra.

The restaurant and food service industry is the nation's second largest private sector employer behind only health care.

How that industry's doing is important to the economy, to those workers, and to their customers.

A National Restaurant Association survey finds six in ten Americans say going out to eat is essential to their lifestyles.

It's the top priority in how people spend their discretionary income, more than entertainment or buying new clothes or electronics.

Seven in ten say they'd go out to eat more if they could afford it.

Restaurant owners would like that, but than 60% say their traffic was down last year.

Chad Moutreys cautiously optimistic about this year, the National Restaurant Association's

chief economist.

We spoke about the state of the industry for the Fox News Rundown podcast.

That conversation was edited down.

This one is not, if you'd like to hear the whole thing.

Thanks for listening to what we do here.

It's appreciated.

Now, Dr. Chad Moutre on the Fox News Rundown Extra.

Dr. Chad Moutre, Chief Economist for the National Restaurant Association. Thanks for coming

on the Fox News rundown. Where are we in terms of household food dollar these days, eating

at home versus restaurant spending?

Well, you certainly are continuing to see consumers focusing on value for the dollar.

I think that continues to be one of the bigger trends that is out there. Certainly, we've seen a lot of inflation for food, both for grocery and for eating out.

We've seen a little bit more inflation for restaurants

of late. But I think one of the things that is encouraging for us is that even as consumers are

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