Latest data on sales at food services and drinking places: May 2022

Ottawa – Two years after the onset of the pandemic and its subsequent restrictions on the food services and drinking places subsector, unadjusted sales for May 2022 were up 62.2 per cent compared with May 2021 and 12.7 per cent higher compared with May 2019.

Sales were up three per cent from the previous month to $7.4 billion according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada for May 2022.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales in the food service and drinking places subsector increased by three per cent to $7.4 billion in May 2022, the highest value since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and of the series. Sales rose at full-service restaurants (up 3.1 per cent), limited-service restaurants (up 1.9 per cent), special food services (up 8.1 per cent), and drinking places (up 6.1 per cent).

Each province reported higher sales as most had provinces lifted restrictions by May. Ontario saw the largest increase among the provinces. Although Quebec removed its mask mandate on May 14, later than the other provinces, it had the second highest increase in sales.

The figures in this section are based on seasonally unadjusted estimates.

Two years after the onset of the pandemic and its subsequent restrictions on the food services and drinking places subsector, unadjusted sales for May 2022 were up 62.2 per cent compared with May 2021 and 12.7 per cent higher compared with May 2019.

Menu prices up

Prices for food purchased from restaurants were up 6.8 per cent in May 2022 compared with May 2021, and prices for alcoholic beverages served in licensed establishments increased 5.5 per cent in the same period. Compared with May 2019, prices for food purchased from restaurants were up 12 per cent in May 2022, and prices for alcoholic beverages served in licensed establishments increased 6.2 per cent (see table 18-10-0004-13).