Diners pack out restaurants, but recovery will take time
October marked the first post-COVID month that consumers dined out, packing restaurants and spending even more than they did in October 2019.
According to new research from Restaurant and Catering Australia, in NSW, diners spent almost 10 per cent more eating out last month than they did for the same month in the previous year.
These figures were welcomed by Wes Lambert, CEO of RCA.
"People are eating out more," Lambert said.
"Instead of going overseas they're consuming food and beverages."
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, eateries such as restaurants and cafes led October’s retail sales increase.
National retail sales were 7.3 per cent higher than in October 2019, seasonally adjusted.
Excluding Victoria, the figure would be much higher: nearly 12 per cent.
As Victoria sheds its lockdown constraints, the figures should rise again.
However, even with this increase, the RCA research shows that restaurant sales, when compared to 2019, are still down more than 15 per cent.
Mr Lambert pointed out that during the months of October, November and December, “ is when the industry is supposed to do up to 60 per cent of its revenue."
Unfortunately, the hospitality industry will still suffer from the effects of restrictions, even though they have eased somewhat.
The Christmas party season and tourism will not see the regular high numbers this period usually brings.
Irit Jackson, 24th November 2020
