Small restaurants face lean times

Between 1994 and 2007, traditional restaurants with fewer than three employees lost ground to larger establishments, and their share of total sector sales dropped from 29% to 20%. During the period, small restaurants had to cope with higher external expenses and personnel costs. Since the 2000s, the pressure has increased and profitability has been declining. Restaurants with no employees were particularly hard hit, and their number is falling steadily. By contrast, restaurants with more than ten employees report robust sales growth and are improving their profitability.