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OTTAWA — Tourism is down and unemployment is up, but recession-weary Canadians are still opening their wallets to eat and drink at restaurants and bars.
Figures from Statistics Canada released Friday show that despite the grim economic picture, total food service sales across the country are up from a year ago. Full-service eateries, drinking establishments and special food services have all seen an increase in sales, while limited-service spots like cafeterias and lunch counters have suffered a modest slump as more workers brown-bag it at noon.
Eric Jodouin, a 31-year-old civil servant in Ottawa, said the recession hasn’t altered his dining habits one bit. He and wife Marie-Eve Pinard eat in restaurants five nights a week, savouring the flavours of Thai, Korean, Vietnamese and Lebanese and regularly tucking in at their favourite steakhouses.
“We love eating out. We love the food in restaurants and the experience. And no recession, whether it’s affecting us or not, is going to stop us,” Jodouin said.
While the meals out aren’t always extravagant, the couple often drops $100 or more on a dinner for two with a bottle of wine. Jodouin said costs aren’t that much more than keeping a constant stock of fresh ingredients at home.
The Stats Can figures show declining restaurant sales in parts of the Maritimes, British Columbia and Ontario but increased sales in Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan in the last year. In May alone, sales climbed by 0.5% from the previous month to more than $4 million.
While these overall numbers look rosy for the restaurant industry, they might not tell the whole story.
Garth Whyte, CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association, said many restaurateurs are struggling with narrowing profit margins due to rising fresh food and labour costs that can’t be passed on to penny-conscious consumers.
“It is cloudy weather for our customers, so they’re watching what they’re spending. Many of them shop down, so fine dining is hit a bit harder,” he said.
Restaurants in border and tourist towns are hurting most. But Whyte believes the overall relative strength of sales in tough times is a sign of resilience for the industry.
“It’s a place to meet, it’s a place to go after basketball practice with your kids, it’s a place for your community. People need a reprieve from these tough times, and it’s high quality food,” he said. “There’s a stability to that.”
kathleen.harris@sunmedia.ca