Fast food outlets are December laggards

It was the worst-performing food & beverage segment with receipts decreasing 1.8% mom.

Restaurant sales likewise slipped but at an almost neutral 0.1%. In contrast, food caterers surged 4.7% growth, beating their November performance, while other eating places rebounded 3.7% after a contraction from the previous month.

"After seasonal adjustment, food caterers and other eating places (such as cafes and canteens) recorded increases in turnover of 4.7% and 3.7% respectively in December 2011 compared to the previous month. Receipts of fast food outlets decreased 1.8% over the same period while those of restaurants remained at a similar level.

All major segments reported higher turnover in December 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. Turnover of fast food outlets and food caterers went up 9.3% and 8.6% respectively. Similarly, receipts of restaurants and other eating places rose 8.4% and 8.2% respectively in December 2011 over December 2010.