TOKYO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Sales of Japanese restaurants surged 23.5 percent in February year on year, the Japan Food Service Association said Monday.
The monthly sales, on an all-store basis, rose for the 15th consecutive month, edging up 3.8 percent from the 2019 level, according to the association's online report.
Rebounds in customer traffic were reflected in the rise, mostly due to warmer weather and easing mask-wearing guidelines for COVID-19 prevention, said the report.
The association also attributed the sales growth to increases in menu prices, which resulted from surging costs of raw materials, utilities and logistics.
"From the perspective of real profits, the business climate for the industry remains severe," said the report. ■
