Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that there were 2,529 restaurants and similar establishments (including restaurants, eating & drinking places and cooked-food stalls in municipal markets) operating in 2021, an increase of 17 year-on-year; total number of persons engaged decreased by 641 to 32,186. Receipts of the industry grew by 10.9% year-on-year to MOP9.66 billion in 2021, returning to over 80% of the receipts in 2019; the growth was attributed to a rebound in visitor number and the moderate recovery of local economic activity. Expenditure went up by 9.0% year-on-year to MOP10.50 billion. The industry recorded a deficit of MOP845 million in 2021, which has narrowed compared to 2020. Gross Value Added that measures the industry’s contribution to the economy amounted to MOP3.04 billion, up by 9.1% year-on-year. Gross Fixed Capital Formation of the industry expanded by 17.1% year-on-year to MOP259 million, on account of an increase in renovation works.

Restaurants and eating & drinking places rose by 19 year-on-year to 2,452, while number of persons engaged went down by 636 to 32,038. Receipts of these establishments totalled MOP9.63 billion, a growth of 10.8% year-on-year. Expenditure rose by 9.0%  year-on-year to MOP10.49 billion; Purchase of Goods (MOP3.55 billion) and Operating Expenses (MOP3.05 billion) both recorded double-digit increases of 12.7% and 10.9% respectively, and Compensation of Employees (MOP3.88 billion) grew by 4.3%. These establishments registered a smaller deficit of MOP858 million compared to 2020 (-MOP950 million). Meanwhile, Gross Value Added rose by 9.1% year-on-year to MOP3.02 billion.

As regards Gross Surplus by type of restaurant and eating & drinking place,    Fast-food Restaurants recorded a Gross Surplus of MOP146 million, an uplift of 71.5% year-on-year. By contrast, other types of establishments reported varying degrees of deficit; among them, Chinese Restaurants (-MOP430 million) and Western Restaurants (-MOP145 million) saw a narrower deficit, whereas Local-style Cafes, Congee & Noodle Shops (-MOP179 million) and Japanese & Korean Restaurants (-MOP70.93 million) recorded a slightly wider deficit.

There were 77 cooked-food stalls operating in municipal markets in 2021, a decrease of 2 year-on-year; number of persons engaged dropped by 5 to 148. Receipts and expenditure of these stalls totalled MOP30.23 million and MOP17.84 million respectively, up by 13.4% and 13.8% year-on-year. These stalls posted a Gross Surplus of MOP12.39 million, representing an increase of 12.9% year-on-year.

The Restaurants and Similar Establishments Survey covers licensed restaurants, eating & drinking places and cooked-food stalls in municipal markets that offered  dine-in service in 2021; however, restaurants and similar establishments directly operated by hotels and gaming enterprises, as well as street stalls, are excluded.