Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that there were 4,977 restaurants and similar establishments (i.e. restaurants, eating & drinking places, takeaway shops and cooked-food stalls in municipal markets) operating in 2023, an increase of 248 year-on-year; total number of persons engaged rose by 2,179 to 38,732. Receipts of the industry grew by 42% year-on-year to MOP14.67 billion in 2023, on account of the gradual resumption of local economic activity and a rebound in the number of visitor arrivals to Macao. In addition, expenditure rose by 25% year-on-year to MOP14.72 billion. The industry faced a deficit of MOP20.33 million in 2023, much smaller than the deficit (-MOP1.45 billion) recorded in the previous year. Meanwhile, Gross Value Added that measures the industry’s contribution to the economy amounted to MOP4.8 billion, up by 67.7% year-on-year.
Restaurants and eating & drinking places that offered dine-in service increased by 69 year-on-year to 2,503, and number of persons engaged grew by 1,837 to 31,782. Receipts and expenditure of these establishments totalled MOP12.44 billion and MOP12.29 billion respectively, up by 45.7% and 26.5% year-on-year. These establishments registered a Gross Surplus of MOP182 million in 2023, a shift from the deficit in 2022.
Analysed by type of establishment, all types of restaurants and eating & drinking places posted a year-on-year growth in receipts in 2023, with receipts of Chinese Restaurants (MOP5.22 billion), Western Restaurants (MOP1.39 billion) and Fast-food Restaurants (MOP982 million) rising by 65%, 85.7% and 32.2% respectively. Fast-food Restaurants logged MOP193 million in Gross Surplus, an uplift of 64.8% year-on-year. Chinese Restaurants, Western Restaurants and Coffee Shops showed a turnaround in business in 2023, recording Gross Surplus of MOP206 million, MOP69.1 million and MOP20.3 million respectively as against their losses in the preceding year. Although other types of establishments remained in deficit of varying degrees, their losses narrowed compared to 2022.
Takeaway shops without dine-in service totalled 2,404 in 2023, up by 185 year-on-year; number of persons engaged rose by 359 to 6,803. Receipts (MOP2.18 billion) and expenditure (MOP2.41 billion) of these shops showed respective growth of 24.1% and 18% year-on-year. These shops sustained a loss of MOP222 million in 2023, yet representing an improvement compared to the deficit (-MOP278 million) in 2022.
There were 70 cooked-food stalls operating in municipal markets in 2023, a decrease of 6 year-on-year. These stalls saw a 38% growth in receipts (MOP42.74 million) and a 17.8% rise in expenditure (MOP22.87 million). Gross Surplus of these stalls surged by 71.9% year-on-year to MOP19.87 million.
The Restaurants and Similar Establishments Survey covers licensed establishments that provided food and beverage service in 2023, including restaurants and eating & drinking places that offered dine-in service, cooked-food stalls in municipal markets, as well as food and beverage takeaway shops without dine-in service; however, restaurants and similar establishments directly operated by hotels and gaming enterprises, as well as street stalls, are excluded.