MEDIA RELEASE
April 28, 2008	Embargoed 11.30 am (AEST)	34/2008
ABS: Aussies' love of food generates big dollars

Australia's cafes, restaurants and caterers generated $13.7 billion in income during 2006-07, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The main sources of income for the 15,423 cafes, restaurants and caterers were:

• Takings from meals consumed on the premises (47%)
• Takings from catering services (24.1%)
• Sale of liquor and other beverages (19.9%)

Cafes and restaurants:

• Generated $9.7 billion in income.
• Employed 145,546 people (47.4% as casuals). Waiting staff was the largest occupation (41.7%).
• Over two-thirds (67.5%) employed fewer than 10 people. These smaller businesses accounted for 27.7% of total cafe and restaurant income.
• Larger cafe and restaurant businesses (those which employed more than 50 people) accounted for 1.5% of all cafe and restaurant businesses and generated over one-fifth of total income (21.8% or $2,115.5m).
• Over half (56.8%) were licensed to sell alcohol.
• 1.1 million seats were available for dining.

Catering services:

• Generated nearly $3.9 billion in income.
• Employed 50,268 people (58.5% as casuals). Waiting staff was the largest occupation (27.2%). Kitchen hands accounted for 23.3% and chefs and cooks 18.6%.
• Over half (57.8%) employed fewer than 10 people. These smaller businesses accounted for 9.1% of total catering income.
• Larger catering businesses (those which employed 50 people or more) accounted for over three-quarters (78%) of total catering income.

Around the nation:

• New South Wales accounted for 36.3% of all cafe, restaurant and catering businesses in Australia, 30.4% of employment and generated just under a third (32.2%) of total income.
• Victorian cafes, restaurants and catering businesses comprised just over a quarter of all businesses (27.4%), 24.7% of income and over a quarter (26.7%) of total employment.
• Queensland, ACT, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory collectively accounted for 36.7% of all cafe, restaurant and catering businesses and 43% of income and total employment respectively.

Further details are in Cafes, Restaurants and Catering Services, Australia, 2006-07 (cat. no. 8655.0).