Despite ongoing uncertainty around the economy, more Canadians are going out to eat and visiting drinking establishments.
In a report released on Wednesday by Statistics Canada, total sales in the food and drink service subsector of the hospitality industry rose in October, the latest month for which data was available, by 0.7 per cent, compared to October 2024.
The dollar amount for October restaurant and bar sales was $8.5-billion.
"Non-seasonally adjusted prices for food purchased from restaurants were up 3.2 per cent in October when compared with October 2024," read the report from Stats Canada. "Unadjusted prices for alcoholic beverages served in licensed establishments also increased, rising 3.1 per cent over the same period."
Full-service, or sit-down, restaurants helped account for the October increase in dollar-based sales, at one per cent. An increase of 2.4 per cent was reported from year to year for special food services.
Ontario led the way in October with the largest dollar sales increase among the provinces, at one per cent. Only two provinces, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, had sales decreases that month.
