Cheddar's Casual Cafe in Little Rock had the highest sales of any Little Rock restaurant, food truck or caterer in the first three months of the year, according to preliminary figures released by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The numbers are available because prepared food establishments must pay a 2 percent advertising and promotion tax on sales of prepared food and nonalcoholic beverages. The bureau, which collects the tax, for the first time this year is releasing the numbers on a quarterly basis.
Cheddar's, located at 400 S. University Ave., topped all restaurants with $1,136,224 in sales through January, February and March. Chick-Fil-A at 6201 W. Markham St. was not far behind with $1,117,754 in sales.
In total, Little Rock restaurants sold $118,947,857 in taxable food and drink, up nearly 1.9 percent from $116,750,984 sold in the first three months of 2013.
The 2014 sum includes all tax payments made for the first three months of the year and received through May 15, so the final number could be higher.
Read more about restaurant sales and 2013's top-selling restaurants in this story from Sunday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Little Rock restaurant sales
2014 first-quarter restaurant sales
| Restaurant | Address | Sales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheddars Casual Cafe | 400 S University Avenue | $1,136,224 |
| 2 | Chick-Fil-A At West Markham | 6201 West Markham Street | $1,117,754 |
| 3 | Olive Garden #1321 | 10715 North Rodney Parham Road | $1,114,711 |
| 4 | Texas Roadhouse | 2620 South Shackleford | $1,050,103 |
| 5 | Host International | 1 Airport Road | $1,018,993 |
| 6 | Chuy's | 16001 Chenal Parkway | $967,114 |
| 7 | Chick-Fil-A | 12500 West Markham Street | $949,484 |
| 8 | Copelands Of New Orleans | 2602 S. Shackleford Rd; Suite A | $925,418 |
| 9 | Red Lobster Restaurant | 8407 West Markham Street | $923,255 |
| 10 | Chick-Fil-A At Cantrell Road Fsu | 11525 Cantrell Rd | $892,473 |