Food services and drinking places

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Sales for the food services and drinking places industry increased 0.5% from September to October to nearly $4.1 billion in current dollars. During the same period, the price of food purchased in restaurants increased by 0.2%, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

In October, three of the industry's four sectors posted sales increases. The largest advance, at 1.5%, occurred in the special food services sector comprising food service contractors, caterers and mobile food services.

Sales in full-service restaurants, the largest of the four industry sectors, increased by 0.7%.

Sales in limited-service restaurants, where patrons order and pay for their meals at the counter, increased by 0.2%, while sales at drinking places decreased by 0.3%.

Provincially, Alberta (-0.6%), Quebec (-0.3%) and New Brunswick (-0.3%) were the only three provinces to record lower sales. Prince Edward Island posted the largest sales increase at 2.6%.

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

Preliminary data are provided for the current reference month. Unadjusted data, based on late responses, are revised for the two previous months. Seasonally adjusted data are revised for the three previous months. An annual revision will take place every spring to update all months in the previous year. Revisions are based on information not available at the time of initial estimates, to improve data quality and coherence.

Starting with the reference month of March 2009, estimates are based on the latest restratified sample. For additional information, consult the article "Monthly Survey of Food Services and Drinking Places: Impact of Restratification" by clicking on the IMBD number 2419 listed below.

Available on CANSIM: table 355-0006.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2419.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Marc Racette (613-951-2924; marc.racette@statcan.gc.ca) or Pierre Felx (613-951-0075; pierre.felx@statcan.gc.ca; fax: 613-951-6696), Service Industries Division.