Restaurants are in the doldrums, but coffee is booming in Chicago
CHICAGO - You can't pry the lattes out of Chicagoans' winter-worn fingers, and those coffee sales are driving growth in an otherwise stagnant restaurant industry.
Growth in customer visits at coffee chains like Starbucks and Peet's - as well as coffee-inspired visits to quick-service restaurants like McDonald's - are making up for sluggishness elsewhere in the restaurant industry, according to research firm NPD. Analysts credit the growth in coffee sales to a rash of deals that are bringing more customers in the door, and to loyalty programs that keep them coming back.
"I've seen restaurants come to a grinding halt at this time of year. That's not the case with coffee," said Tim Coonan, the founder of Big Shoulders Coffee and a
