OLYMPIA, WA - According to a report released by the Washington Restaurant Association last week, the state's QSR segment realized a 28 percent decline in pizza pricing and a decrease in cooks' wages compared to two years ago.

The Association's 2010 Compensation, Benefits and Menu Report also reported a "significant menu trend" with 96 percent of Washington's full-service restaurants adding healthy items to their menus.

"I think restaurant operators will find the changes in pricing and wages interesting," said Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Restaurant Association. "The market is extremely competitive, which is reflected in the pricing declines, and cooks have seen an across-the-board wage decrease since the 2008 report."

Produced biennially, the report provides restaurant operators with tools for assessing salaries, benefits, menu items, and other operational decisions.

"The data produced from this report confirms what we??ve been hearing from our members," Anton said. "Restaurants have been proactively making changes to offer healthy options on their menus. And, we??re also seeing a big shift toward buying local products."

The report includes salary comparisons, insurance and benefit costs, average gratuities, menu pricing, and health menu trends.