Restaurants weathering storm, for now

 (Salt Lake Tribune) On one of the coldest days of the year, Matt Lorimer, pitched a tent outside the Chick-fil-A in Riverdale last week in hopes of winning 52 free dinners as part of the restaurant's grand-opening promotion the next morning.

"Like my father-in-law said, what other crazy thing could we do and not get into trouble," said Lorimer, who would eventually be joined by about 100 other people camping out all night so they could receive certificates for no-cost meals once the doors opened.

Though revenues at restaurants in Utah and nationwide have declined since the financial meltdown hit last fall, eateries such as Chick-fil-A are pressing forward with openings. Chain restaurants are doing better than mom-and-pop varieties because customers seem to have more familiarity with brand-name menus, said Andre Baksh, an economist with the Utah Tax Commission.

The restaurant in Riverdale is one of 69 Chick-fil-A plans to open around the country this year. And next year, at least four more locations are planned for Utah, said Anne Lerner, spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based company.

There is no mistaking that Utahns, who generally have an appetite for eating out, are staying home to eat more often. Taxes paid for meals served in the state's restaurants and fast-food outlets were down 3 percent for the second quarter (the latest figures available), when compared with the same period a year ago.

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