Canadian foodservice had traffic decline and slight bump in average eater cheque in summer quarter, says NPD Group

Chicago – The Canadian foodservice industry experienced its second quarter of traffic decline and a slight bump in average eater cheque in the summer quarter of 2015, The NPD Group said in a new report.

Foodservice spending and visits grew in the summer quarter of 2015 in several countries, according to NPD’s ongoing international foodservice market research, CREST, which tracks consumer use of foodservice outlets in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Russia, Spain, and the United States.

Snacks and morning meals were the broad foodservice market drivers, the report said.

Of the 11 countries NPD’s CREST tracks, Australia (winter quarter), China, Germany, Great Britain, and the U.S. posted traffic and average eater check gains. Foodservice spending and visits were flat to slightly declining in France and Japan.

Canada, which weathered the global economic crisis better than any country but China, is having a tough run with its second quarter of traffic decline, the report said. The relatively young Russian foodservice market continues to suffer with high inflation and dropping demand.

Although the nascent rebound of the lunch daypart experienced in recent quarters appears to have slowed down, snacks and morning meals were the broad market drivers. This is good news, but restaurants and foodservice outlets would benefit more from a strong lunch daypart, which tends to be the engine for many of the foodservice markets tracked by the firm.

Visits to quick-service outlets were up or flat in most countries and were down in Japan, the only country where quick-service traffic does not dominate. Full-service restaurant visits declined in Australia, Canada, China, and the U.S.

“Optimism, although cautious, abounds throughout the global foodservice market after a mostly growing or stable summer quarter,” said Bob O’Brien, senior vice-president, global foodservice at The NPD Group. “There are still some shaky economies but, overall, consumers around the world appear ready and willing to dine out again.”