Attendance at Moscow restaurants began to grow in September-October

Attendance at Moscow restaurants, which had remained below last year’s levels since the beginning of 2023, began to grow in September-October. The number of orders year-on-year increased by 8%, and revenue by 17%, which market participants attribute to favorable weather and the return of some consumers who left in 2022. There is an increase in traffic throughout the country. Restaurateurs are waiting for the trend to continue and are preparing to expand their business, although they see consumers’ continued commitment to saving.

The number of orders in Moscow restaurants, which had been declining since the beginning of 2023 relative to the same period last year, began to grow on September 18, according to data from Focus Technologies. According to analysts, from September 18 to October 22, 2023, the indicator grew by 8% year-on-year, revenue by 17%, and the average bill by 8%. From January 2 to September 17, traffic was 5% lower than last year.

The trend is confirmed by Tinkoff Data. According to the company’s calculations, the number of transactions in Moscow restaurants from September 18 to October 22 increased by 8% year-on-year, and from January to mid-September the figure remained 1% lower than last year. The number of orders in catering establishments across Russia from September 18 to October 22 increased by 11% year-on-year, and in the previous months of the year, according to Tinkoff Data, the growth was at 7%.

The founder of the Teremok chain, Mikhail Goncharov, and a representative of the I Want Puri chain say that their establishments had the dynamics that were recorded by Focus Technologies. “Vkusno – period” also noted positive dynamics in September-October, adding that the number of visitors in Moscow establishments has recovered to the level of 2021. In Yakitoria restaurants, the number of orders from September 18 to October 22, 2023 was at the same level as last year, while from the beginning of the year to September 17, a decrease of 5% year-on-year was recorded. At Anderson, the number of orders throughout the year was 6% less year-on-year, but since September 18, the backlog has decreased to 4%. The Gagawa chain reported that the number of guests grew by 32% year-on-year in October.

Mikhail Vasiliev, head of research and consulting at Focus Technologies, associates the increase in traffic in restaurants on the streets of Moscow with unusually good weather in the second half of September, which contributed to the influx of citizens and city guests to cultural, historical and recreational locations. And the cold snap in October, he said, led to an increase in attendance at cafes and restaurants in shopping centers. In Moscow, the Mall Index (reflects the number of visitors per 1 thousand sq. m of retail space) from the end of September to the end of October increased year-on-year by 6%, in St. Petersburg – by 10%, Focus Technologies calculated.

Vice-President of the Federation of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs Irina Blagoveshchenskaya explains the dynamics by the “whitening” of the market, as well as the return of consumers who left the country last year due to hostilities in Ukraine and the announced partial mobilization. Mikhail Goncharov believes that the growth of visitors is also facilitated by rising wages in almost all industries. And Gagawa also reminds us of the low base effect of last year.

But, despite the positive dynamics, traffic in restaurants is still far from 2019 levels, Ms. Blagoveshchenskaya points out. Consumers still carefully monitor their own expenses and pay attention to discounts and special offers, adds Alexander Muratov, development director of the Yakitoria chain. Anderson confirms that consumers increasingly have questions about possible bonuses and additional gifts. “I Want Puri” talks about the trend for celebrating birthdays and corporate events in a narrow circle.

Irina Blagoveshchenskaya expects that traffic recovery will continue. In this regard, many restaurateurs have plans to expand their business, she adds. Alexander Muratov expects demand to increase in November-December, including in connection with the New Year celebrations. Interest in holding New Year’s corporate events has already increased by 30-50% year on year, and market participants expect that the number of New Year’s events will reach pre-pandemic levels for the first time since 2020 (see Kommersant on November 3).

Daria Andrianova