FH1117

THE HOSPITALITY MARKET REPORT
Restaurants are experimenting with healthier menus
and technology to keep Canadians coming back
STORY BY TOM VENETIS
ILLUSTRATION BY MARGARET MOORE
While Canadian foodservice operators
should expect a modestly healthy 2017 in
terms of growth, increasing competition and
a changing consumer-spending landscape are
going to prove challenging into 2018.
According to a recent Conference Board of
Canada study, Canadian Industrial Outlook:
Canada’s Food Services Industry, an increasingly
competitive restaurant landscape and
weakening consumer spending means revenue
growth will be limited to only 3.9 per cent
for 2017.
While Canadians may be holding onto
their wallets a little more tightly, signs point
to consumers still wanting to eat out. A recent
study by Restaurants Canada, The Discerning
Diner: What Canadians Want From Their
Foodservice Experience, finds most Canadians
eat out at least once a month, with 42 per cent
favouring quick-service restaurants and 41
per cent spending their dollars at table-service
restaurants. The study also finds QSRs continue
to remain popular with Canadians — 44
per cent say their choice is motivated by convenience,
34 per cent by value and 31 per cent
by fast service.
QSR
Aaron Jourden, managing editor, Global, with
Chicago-based Technomic Inc., says QSRs
continue to be the top choice for Canadians,
so individual operations and chains will have
to innovate if they wish to remain competitive.
“So far, 2017 has looked healthy and we
expect next year to be as healthy or healthier,”
he says.
26 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY NOVEMBER 2017 FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM