Food services and drinking places

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Sales for the food services and drinking places industry were up 0.1% over January to almost $4.2 billion in February. During the same period, the price of food purchased in restaurants increased 0.2% as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

Since January 2010, sales for the food services and drinking places industry have grown by 4.0%, while the price of food purchased in restaurants has risen by 2.9%.

In February, two of the four industry sectors posted higher sales. The increased sales in February were mainly attributable to the full-service restaurant sector (+0.4%).

Sales in the special food services sector rose by 0.6%. This sector includes food service contractors, caterers and mobile food services.

Sales in the limited-service restaurant sector were down 0.1%.

Sales at drinking places fell by 0.9%.

In February, four provinces posted higher sales while six saw declines. The largest increase occurred in Alberta (+1.4%), while the largest decline was in Newfoundland and Labrador (-1.9%).

Note: All data in this release are seasonally adjusted and expressed in current dollars.

Seasonally-adjusted data are revised for the three previous months. Data are also revised annually. Revisions to improve data quality and coherence are based on information not available at the time of the initial estimates.

Available on CANSIM: table 355-0006.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2419.

To obtain data, or for more information, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-877-801-3282; 613-951-4612; servicesind@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Pierre Felx (613-951-0075; pierre.felx@statcan.gc.ca) or Carey Olineck (913-951-1984; carey.olineck@statcan.gc.ca), Service Industries Division.