Paul Martin Commentary
The in this province held its own in 2025.
Inflation, especially food inflation, has been squeezing the average household budget noticeably but it had an even more noticeable impact on those in the food service sector.
Yet, players in this province managed to keep up with it. In fact, that was the story for all three Prairie provinces as sales growth outpaced the rest of the country.
The restaurant side of the industry fared well compared to bars or taverns. Nationally, gross revenue in food establishments rose: five-percent in full-service restaurants and three-percent in fast food outlets. Drinking establishments saw sales fall 3.5-percent last year. Aggregate sales revenue went up in every province as the effects of inflation were felt throughout the nation.
Regionally, Manitoba saw the biggest revenue gains last year, rising nearly 12-percent. Alberta was second and Saskatchewan stood in third place with sales rising more than six-percent.
In short, consumers continued to enjoy dining out even in the face of inflation hitting menu prices.
