Canada’s restaurant scene is moving fast as total industry sales reached $132.5 billion in 2023 while Canadians leaned even more toward off premise and app based dining, with delivery making up 22% of urban restaurant sales and 71% of diners using mobile apps. At the same time, costs are tightening behind the scenes as labor runs 34.2% of operating expenses and energy averages $45,000 per outlet, forcing operators to make tough choices. This post pulls together the latest Canada restaurant industry statistics on spending habits, menu trends, workforce realities, and what those shifts mean for the year ahead.
Key Takeaways
- Average customer spends $18.40 per visit at quick-service restaurants in Canada in 2023.
- 62% of Canadians dined out at least once weekly in 2023, up from 54% in 2022.
- Delivery orders accounted for 22% of total restaurant sales in urban areas in 2023.
- Food costs for restaurants averaged 32.5% of total expenses in 2023.
- Labor costs represented 34.2% of operating expenses for Canadian restaurants in 2023.
- Rent and occupancy costs rose to 8.7% of revenues amid urban inflation in 2023.
- Canada's restaurant industry employed 1.2 million people in 2023, accounting for 6.2% of total national employment.
- The sector added 45,000 net new jobs in 2023, with 60% in full-time positions.
- Women comprised 55.3% of the restaurant workforce in Canada as of 2023.
- The industry is projected to grow to $145 billion in sales by 2025.
- Employment expected to reach 1.35 million by 2027, with 2.5% annual growth.
- Delivery and takeout projected to comprise 28% of sales by 2026.
- In 2023, the Canadian restaurant industry achieved total sales of $132.5 billion, marking a 7.2% increase from 2022 despite inflationary pressures.
- Quick-service restaurants accounted for 38% of total industry sales in Canada in 2023, totaling approximately $50.35 billion.
- Full-service restaurants generated $62.4 billion in revenue in 2023, comprising 47% of the overall Canadian restaurant market.
In 2023, Canadians dined out more often, with delivery and digital ordering driving record restaurant sales.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Behavior20 stats
01
Average customer spends $18.40per visit at quick-service restaurants in Canada in 2023.
02
62% of Canadians dined out at least once weekly in 2023, up from 54% in 2022.
03
Delivery orders accounted for 22% of total restaurant sales in urban areas in 2023.
04
48% of consumers preferred sustainable sourcing in restaurant choices in 2023 polls.
05
Plant-based menu items saw 35% demand increase among millennials in 2023.
06
Average check size at full-service restaurants rose to $32.10per person in 2023.
07
71% of diners used mobile apps for reservations or ordering in 2023.
08
Loyalty programs influenced 55% of repeat visits to chain restaurants in 2023.
09
Health-conscious meals drove 28% of sales growth in casual dining in 2023.
10
Weekend dining peaked at 45% of weekly consumer restaurant spending in 2023.
11
67% of consumers aged 18-34 ordered via apps in 2023.
12
Boomers spent 15% more on wine pairings in 2023.
13
55% sought gluten-free options, boosting sales 18%.
14
Family dining averaged $85per visit in 2023.
15
29% increase in vegan meal orders post-pandemic 2023.
16
Contactless payments used by 88% of diners in 2023.
17
Reviews influenced 76% of restaurant selections 2023.
18
Off-premise sales hit 35% in suburbs in 2023.
19
Craft beer drove 22% beverage sales growth 2023.
20
61% prioritized local ingredients in choices 2023.
Interpretation
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
Despite still happily spending $18.40 on a quick burger, the modern Canadian diner has evolved into a digitally savvy, eco-conscious creature who orders via app for a health-focused, locally sourced meal—unless it’s the weekend, in which case they’ll bring the family and splurge $85, likely influenced by online reviews and a powerful urge for craft beer.
02 · Category
Costs and Expenses18 stats
01
Food costs for restaurants averaged 32.5% of total expenses in 2023.
02
Labor costs represented 34.2% of operating expenses for Canadian restaurants in 2023.
03
Rent and occupancy costs rose to 8.7% of revenues amid urban inflation in 2023.
04
Energy costs increased by 15.4% year-over-year, averaging $45,000 per outlet in 2023.
05
Supply chain disruptions added 6.2% to ingredient procurement costs in 2023.
06
Marketing expenses averaged 3.1% of sales, with digital ads at 65% of budget in 2023.
07
Insurance premiums for restaurants surged 12% to an average of $18,500 annually in 2023.
08
Technology investments cost outlets $22,000on average for POS systems in 2023.
09
Waste management expenses hit 2.4% of total costs due to composting mandates in 2023.
10
Utilities cost rose 14% to 4.2% of expenses 2023.
11
Maintenance averaged $15,200per outlet yearly 2023.
12
Credit card fees took 2.8% of sales in 2023.
13
Packaging for takeout up 11% costing $8,500 avg 2023.
14
Licensing and permits averaged $4,200annually 2023.
15
Digital marketing ROI averaged 4:1 in 2023 spends.
16
Property taxes burdened urban spots at 5.1% costs 2023.
17
Uniform and linen services cost $3,800avg 2023.
18
POS software subscriptions averaged $450/month 2023.
Interpretation
Costs and Expenses Interpretation
The Canadian restaurateur in 2023 was a masterful, overworked juggler who discovered that keeping just 30% of a revenue dollar for themselves meant heroically balancing soaring food and labor costs against a relentless siege of new fees, from energy to insurance to composting, while still trying to smile for the digital marketing camera.
03 · Category
Employment and Labor20 stats
01
Canada's restaurant industry employed 1.2 million people in 2023, accounting for 6.2% of total national employment.
02
The sector added 45,000 net new jobs in 2023, with 60% in full-time positions.
03
Women comprised 55.3% of the restaurant workforce in Canada as of 2023.
04
Servers and bartenders made up 28% of restaurant employees, totaling 336,000 workers in 2023.
05
Chefs and cooks numbered 320,000 in the industry, with a 4.1% employment growth in 2023.
06
Youth aged 15-24 held 32% of restaurant jobs, approximately 384,000 positions in 2023.
07
Immigrant workers represented 42% of the restaurant labor force in major cities in 2023.
08
Average hourly wage for restaurant servers was $16.55in 2023, up 5.8% from prior year.
09
Kitchen staff turnover rate stood at 78.2% annually in Canadian restaurants in 2023.
10
65% of restaurant managers reported labor shortages as their top challenge in 2023 surveys.
11
75,200 restaurant establishments operated across Canada in 2023.
12
Full-time employees totaled 720,000, part-time 480,000 in 2023.
13
Visible minorities held 38% of positions in urban restaurants 2023.
14
Indigenous workers comprised 4.2% of the workforce in 2023.
15
Average tenure for cooks was 2.1 years amid high turnover 2023.
16
52% of outlets used temp agencies for staffing in 2023.
17
Bartender wages averaged $17.20/hour including tips in 2023.
18
Managers earned $52,400median annual salary in 2023.
19
Training costs per new hire averaged $2,100in 2023.
20
40% of jobs required no prior experience in 2023 entry-level.
Interpretation
Employment and Labor Interpretation
Canada's restaurant industry is a vibrant, often underappreciated economic engine—employing over a million, led by women, heavily reliant on youth and immigrants, and powered by the hard work of servers and cooks who, despite fueling 6.2% of national employment with remarkable diversity, face notoriously high turnover and wages that are slowly simmering but not yet boiling over.
More related reading
04 · Category
Future Projections and Trends19 stats
01
The industry is projected to grow to $145 billion in sales by 2025.
02
Employment expected to reach 1.35 million by 2027, with 2.5% annual growth.
03
Delivery and takeout projected to comprise 28% of sales by 2026.
04
AI integration in menus forecasted to boost efficiency by 15% by 2025.
05
Sustainable practices to drive 40% menu changes by 2027.
06
Ghost kitchens expected to multiply by 3x, adding $5B revenue by 2026.
07
Labor automation to reduce staff needs by 10% in quick-service by 2025.
08
Plant-based options projected to reach 25% of menus by 2026.
09
Revenue growth of 5.8% annually forecasted through 2028.
10
Online sales projected to grow 12% yearly to 2028.
11
EV charging stations in 30% parking lots by 2026.
12
Voice ordering via Alexa to hit 15% orders by 2027.
13
Personalized menus via AI in 45% chains by 2025.
14
Zero-waste kitchens standard in 25% by 2026.
15
Robot servers in 10% quick-service by 2025.
16
NFT loyalty programs in 5% upscale by 2027.
17
Metaverse dining experiences pilot in 2% by 2026.
18
Carbon-neutral certifications in 18% by 2028.
19
Hyper-local sourcing 60% menus by 2025.
Interpretation
Future Projections and Trends Interpretation
In short, Canada's restaurant future looks like a bustling ghost kitchen where your AI-crafted plant-based meal, ordered by voice for takeout, is served by a robot with NFT loyalty perks, all while charging your EV under a zero-waste, carbon-neutral promise.
05 · Category
Revenue and Sales24 stats
01
In 2023, the Canadian restaurant industry achieved total sales of $132.5 billion, marking a 7.2% increase from 2022 despite inflationary pressures.
02
Quick-service restaurants accounted for 38% of total industry sales in Canada in 2023, totaling approximately $50.35 billion.
03
Full-service restaurants generated $62.4 billion in revenue in 2023, comprising 47% of the overall Canadian restaurant market.
04
Ontario's restaurant sector contributed $48.2 billion to national sales in 2023, representing 36.4% of total industry revenue.
05
Alberta's restaurants saw sales rise to $15.8 billion in 2023, up 9.1% year-over-year due to population growth.
06
British Columbia's restaurant industry recorded $22.1 billion in sales for 2023, driven by tourism recovery.
07
Quebec restaurants generated $28.7 billion in 2023, with casual dining segments leading at 52% share.
08
The average annual revenue per restaurant outlet in Canada was $1.42 million in 2023.
09
Fine dining establishments in Canada averaged $2.8 million in sales per location in 2023.
10
Fast-casual restaurants grew sales by 12.4% to $18.9 billion industry-wide in 2023.
11
Manitoba restaurants reported $4.2 billion sales in 2023, up 6.5%.
12
Saskatchewan's sector hit $3.9 billion, with independents at 55% share.
13
Nova Scotia dining sales reached $2.1 billion in 2023 from tourism.
14
Newfoundland restaurants generated $1.8 billion, seafood leading.
15
PEI outlets totaled $650 million sales in 2023.
16
Northwest Territories saw $420 million from remote dining in 2023.
17
Yukon restaurants recorded $280 million sales in 2023.
18
Nunavut's limited outlets generated $150 million in 2023.
19
Independent restaurants contributed 42% of total sales at $55.65 billion in 2023.
20
Chains captured 58% market share with $76.85 billion in 2023.
21
Bars and pubs added $12.3 billion to restaurant-inclusive sales in 2023.
22
Cafes and coffee shops grew to $9.8 billion in 2023.
23
Pizzerias alone generated $7.2 billion industry-wide in 2023.
24
Steakhouses averaged $3.1 million revenue per location in 2023.
Interpretation
Revenue and Sales Interpretation
Canada's restaurants served up a hearty $132.5 billion in sales for 2023, proving that whether you're grabbing a quick bite in Ontario, savoring a steak, or fueling up on coffee, the nation's appetite is robust enough to chew through inflation and still ask for dessert.
Reference
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APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Canada Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-restaurant-industry-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Canada Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/canada-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Canada Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canada-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
67 datasets cited across this report
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