Restaurant sales fall for third straight month in February

March 25, 2009
By Ken Worsley

In 2008, McDonald’s Japan became the first restaurant company to surpass 500 billion yen in sales over a year. 2008 was the fifth consecutive year in which sales had grown for McDonald’s. November 2008 alone saw a 14.4% increase in sales, and it looked as though McDonald’s would be one of those firms uniquely positioned to hold their ground during the economic downturn.

The rest of the restaurant industry, however, looks to be some trouble. According to data released today by the Japan Foodservice Association, sales at restaurants fell 3.6% against a year ago in February, showing a decline for the third consecutive month. Of course, last February fell in a leap year, and the loss of one day is estimated to account for 3% of the drop in sales. Still, pubs and izakayas saw a 7.1% drop in sales, while they fell 6.1% at family restaurants and 5.7% at coffee shops. Fast food shops saw a 0.3% decline, for the first fall in five months.

The JFA also noted that customer numbers fell 4.9% in February while the average purchase increased by 1.4%.

Filed Under Economic Reports, Retail, Services