St. Louis Restaurant Review is launching the Restaurant Stock Index (RSI) on May 1, 2026, to track publicly traded restaurant companies.

The index includes major restaurant brands and a key delivery platform to reflect real-world dining behavior.

The launch follows the closure of a restaurant-focused ETF, highlighting the need for a dedicated industry benchmark.

---

A New Benchmark for the Restaurant Industry

ST. LOUIS, MO (StLouisRestaurantReview) St. Louis Restaurant Review has announced the launch of the Restaurant Stock Index (RSI), a new editorial benchmark designed to track the performance of publicly traded restaurant companies and provide insight into the overall health of the restaurant industry.

The RSI will officially launch on May 1, 2026, with a base value of 1,000, representing the closing performance of its constituent companies on that date. From that point forward, the index will measure daily movements in the restaurant sector, providing a consistent, trackable benchmark for industry performance.

---

Filling a Gap in Restaurant Industry Benchmarking

The introduction of the Restaurant Stock Index (RSI) comes at a time when dedicated benchmarks for restaurant companies remain limited.

One of the few publicly traded funds designed to track restaurant performance, the AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF, is scheduled to close at the end of April 2026. With its final trading day expected just before the RSI launch, the industry has fewer tools to monitor restaurant-specific market trends.

The RSI is designed to address that gap by offering a transparent, consistent, and easy-to-understand benchmark focused directly on restaurant companies and related platforms.

---

Why the Restaurant Stock Index Matters

Financial markets generate vast amounts of data, but much of it is not translated into a form that directly benefits restaurant owners, operators, and industry professionals.

The Restaurant Stock Index (RSI) was created to bridge that gap.

By combining the performance of multiple restaurant companies into a single benchmark, the RSI makes it easier to understand whether the industry is expanding, stabilizing, or facing pressure. It also helps explain how economic forces such as inflation, labor costs, consumer spending, and energy prices are impacting restaurant operations.

---

RSI Launch Snapshot

• Launch Date: May 1, 2026
• Base Value: 1,000
• Number of Companies: 19
• Methodology: Equal-weighted
• Coverage: Restaurant operators and restaurant-dependent platforms

---

Full List of Companies in the Restaurant Stock Index (RSI)

The RSI comprises 19 publicly traded companies representing a broad cross-section of the restaurant industry, along with one key delivery platform that reflects off-premise dining demand.

Core Restaurant Companies with Ticker Symbols

• McDonald’s – MCD
• Yum! Brands – YUM
• Restaurant Brands International – QSR
• Wendy’s – WEN
• Chipotle Mexican Grill – CMG
• CAVA Group – CAVA
• Sweetgreen – SG
• Starbucks – SBUX
• Dutch Bros – BROS
• Domino’s Pizza – DPZ
• Papa John’s – PZZA
• Darden Restaurants – DRI
• Texas Roadhouse – TXRH
• Brinker International – EAT
• Bloomin’ Brands – BLMN
• Wingstop – WING
• Shake Shack – SHAK
• Portillo’s – PTLO

Restaurant-Dependent Platform

• DoorDash – DASH

DoorDash is included as a restaurant-dependent platform whose performance reflects delivery demand and off-premise dining trends, which are increasingly important parts of the restaurant industry.

---

How the Index Works

The Restaurant Stock Index is an equal-weighted benchmark, meaning each company included has the same weight in the index’s performance.

The index begins at 1,000 on May 1, 2026, and adjusts daily based on the percentage movement of each company it tracks. This methodology ensures a balanced representation of the industry, preventing larger companies from dominating the index.

The RSI will be updated regularly and featured in ongoing coverage to provide a consistent measure of restaurant industry performance.

---

Connecting Market Performance to Real-World Operations

The RSI is designed to go beyond traditional financial reporting by translating market movements into meaningful insights for restaurant operators.

For example:

• Strong performance among fast casual brands may indicate sustained consumer demand despite rising prices
• Weakness in casual dining stocks may reflect tightening consumer budgets
• Movement in delivery platforms may highlight shifts between dine-in and off-premise ordering

This approach provides a clearer understanding of how broader economic trends are affecting restaurant businesses on a day-to-day basis.

---

A New Direction for Industry Coverage

The launch of the Restaurant Stock Index (RSI) marks an expansion of St. Louis Restaurant Review’s commitment to delivering relevant, actionable information to the restaurant community.

By combining financial data with operational insight, the RSI offers a more complete view of the challenges and opportunities facing restaurant operators.

Beginning in May, the index will serve as a foundation for regular reporting, including daily updates, weekly summaries, and deeper analysis of emerging trends.

---

Looking Ahead

As the index evolves, it may include additional companies or expanded segmentation, providing even more detailed insights into specific areas of the restaurant industry.

With a clearly defined launch date of May 1, 2026, the RSI establishes a firm baseline for tracking performance over time and offers a new reference point for evaluating industry trends.

Licensing opportunities will be available soon.

---

Disclaimer

The Restaurant Stock Index (RSI) is an editorial benchmark created by St. Louis Restaurant Review to track publicly traded restaurant companies and related platforms. It is provided for informational purposes only and does NOT constitute investment advice.

© 2025 – St. Louis Media, LLC d.b.a. St. Louis Restaurant Review. All Rights Reserved. Content may not be republished or redistributed without express written approval. Portions or all of our content may have been created with the assistance of AI tools, such as Gemini or ChatGPT, and are reviewed by our human editorial team. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, head to St. Louis Restaurant Review.