The value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was 14.7 billion HK dollars (1.89 billion U. S. dollars) in the fourth quarter of 2005, up 7 percent on the same quarter in 2004.

According to a press release from the Census & Statistics Department, the total restaurant receipts rose 5.9 percent in volume in the fourth quarter of 2005 as compared to a year earlier after discounting the effect of price changes.

Analyzed by type of restaurant, total receipts of fast food shops rose 10.9 percent in value or 9.8 percent in volume.

Total receipts of Chinese restaurants grew 6.4 percent in value or 4.9 percent in volume, while total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants grew 6.3 percent in value or 6.1 percent in volume.

Total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places rose 4 percent in value or 1.6 percent in volume. Total bar receipts rose 0.2 percent in value or 2.7 percent in volume.

On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, the volume of total restaurant receipts rose 1.2 percent.

Source: Xinhua