Restaurants See Sales Jump as East Coast Looks for Food

Restaurant chains including Boston Market Corp., Starbucks Corp. and Applebee’s may see a boost in sales as consumers flock to eateries after Hurricane Sandy flooded the East Coast, leaving millions without power.

While restaurants may be “hit initially” because of store closings, sales will start picking up as consumers who lost power along the East Coast eat out more frequently, said Stephen Anderson, an analyst at Miller Tabak & Co. in New York.