Cole Hofstra Photography
OTTAWA — As 2025 rolled on, Canadians continued to spend a little more on meals and booze away from home.
Sales in Canada’s food services and drinking places subsector rose 0.7 per cent in October to $8.5 billion, according to new data.
Prices also moved higher. Non seasonally adjusted prices for food purchased from restaurants increased 3.2 per cent in October compared with the same month a year earlier. Prices for alcoholic beverages served in licensed establishments rose 3.1 per cent over the same period.
Full service restaurants recorded the largest increase in sales in dollar terms, up 1.0 per cent during the month. Higher sales were also reported in special food services, which climbed 2.4 per cent, and in drinking places, up 2.9 per cent. Sales at limited service eating places slipped slightly.
Sales increased in eight provinces. Ontario posted the largest gain in dollar terms, up 1.0 per cent. In contrast, sales declined in Nova Scotia, down 1.2 per cent, and Prince Edward Island, down 2.4 per cent.
Statistics Canada said more detailed information is available through its Food Services and Drinking Places Sales dashboard, which provides provincial and territorial data through interactive maps and charts.
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