Total sales in the food services and drinking places subsector increased 0.6% in February to $8.8 billion, reported Statistics Canada on Tuesday.
Non-seasonally adjusted prices for food purchased from restaurants were up 7.8% in February compared with February 2025. Unadjusted prices for alcoholic beverages served in licensed establishments increased 6.8% over the same period. These increases were particularly large in the year-over-year Consumer Price Index due to the GST/HST break from December 14, 2024, to February 15, 2025, which lowered the price of food and some alcoholic beverages paid by consumers at restaurants, said the federal agency.
In February, the largest increase in sales came from full-service restaurants (+1.4%), followed by limited-service eating places (+1.0%). After a month of strong growth, special food services (-5.7%) posted a large decline. Sales at drinking places (-0.1%) decreased slightly, it said.
Sales increased in eight provinces in February, with the largest increase in dollar terms coming from Ontario (+1.2%). Nova Scotia (+2.5%) posted the largest increase in percentage terms. In contrast, sales in Alberta (-0.8%) and Quebec (-0.4%) declined, added Statistics Canada.
More from Retail Insider:
