Dinner Purchase Frequency Tumbles in November

The share of Canadians who purchased dinner from a restaurant at least once a week or more fell to 26% in November, a noticeable decrease in traffic after consistently averaging 33% for the past eight months.

A decline in dinner purchases was seen across a number of CMAs (Census Metropolitan Areas). The share of respondents in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) who purchased dinner from a restaurant decreased 15percentage points from October 2022 to November 2022. Similar declines were felt in Montreal and Calgary with a 12 and 11 percentage point decrease respectively month over month.

While the decline in dinner purchase frequency was reflected across all income levels, respondents with a household income of $100,000 or more saw the greatest drop with a 10 percentage point decrease in share from October to November. While Restaurants Canada expected a moderation in restaurant traffic in the fall due to the rising cost of living and a potential recession in 2023, November’s data could be a sign that that consumers are beginning to reign in their visit frequency.

Looking ahead, there was an optimistic uptick in the share of respondents who plan to order a little more often from a table-service restaurant in December, perhaps due to holiday celebrations with friends and family.

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