State’s restaurant sales fourth highest in nation

DENVER — Colorado’s restaurant industry reported more than $5.1 billion in sales for 1997, the fourth highest in the nation according to the Colorado and National Restaurant Associations. Colorado is projected to post the second largest eating-place sales in the Rocky Mountain region for 1998 — $5.4 billion — or about 40 percent of the state’s total retail sales. This would be a 6 percent increase over 1997 sales.

Colorado’s eating and drinking establishments represent almost 8 percent of the state’s economy.

Nationally, industry sales are projected to reach more than…