Restaurants post 3.4% job growth on snack bars, fast food

Not every industry grew last year in a still-recovering economy. But restaurateurs said gains in snack bars and fast-food restaurants led to a rise in employment for its industry. The restaurant industry saw a 3.4 percent increase in jobs during 2012, according to a report released Thursday by the National Restaurant Association.

It was 13th consecutive year in which the restaurant industry grew at a faster rate than the overall economy, said Bruce Grindy, chief economist for the National Restaurant…