Leap Year Effect Impacts Commercial Foodservice Sales in February 2025
Canadians continued to show fluctuating spending habits amid ongoing economic uncertainty. In February 2025, commercial foodservice sales dipped slightly by 0.1% compared to February 2024. Breaking it down by sector, full-service restaurant sales declined by 2.5%, while quick-service restaurant sales increased by 2%. Caterers saw a 4.6% increase, whereas bars continued to struggle, posting a 9.4% decline.
At the provincial level, Prince Edward Island posted the strongest year-over-year growth in February at 5.1%, while Manitoba recorded the largest decline at 4.1%.
Much of the weakness in February could be attributed to the leap year effect, as there were 28 days in February 2025 compared to 29 days in February 2024. If we recalculate the growth rates by aligning both years to a 28-day period, total commercial foodservice sales would have increased by 3.5%. Based on this adjusted figure, full-service restaurant sales rose by 1.0%, while quick-service restaurants saw a notable 5.6% increase.
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As the Chief Economist and Vice President of Research for Restaurants Canada, Chris Elliott manages and produces a comprehensive research program that has made Restaurants Canada a leading source of information for and about Canada’s nearly $120-billion foodservice industry. Chris tracks and analyzes key industry and economic indicators and translates them into member reports and publications. He also provides research to support Restaurants Canada’s lobbying efforts on issues that affect foodservice operators – from payroll taxes to food costs.
Chris has worked with Restaurants Canada for over 20 years, has a Bachelor of Arts and Master’s Degree in Economics and specializes in economic modelling and forecasting.
