Restaurants in Querétaro, close to resuming pre-pandemic levels

Queretaro, Qro. Before the next December season, the state’s restaurant industry estimates to end December with a pre-pandemic recovery, after almost three years of the effects of the Covid-19 health contingency.

The president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (Canirac), in QueretaroGarabed Narinian Valenzuela, explained that they currently already have a 30% advance in reservations for the first 15 days of December, a positive factor for year-end sales.

We are at 30% of the reservations for the first 15 days of December, that makes us understand that we will be able to reach (sales) a little less than 2019, but we will already be at the numbers for 2019 in December,” he said. Garabed Narinian Valenzuela.

Being close to the pre-pandemic indicators, he added, is encouraging after the setbacks brought to the sector by the economic and health crisis caused by the pandemic

“After two years of having suffered a lot, we are already winning; I think we are already breathing,” said the president of Canirac.

The demand for this closing of the year, he pointed out, is driven to a large extent by meetings of companies that organize both lunches and dinners for their workers.

“The cost varies according to the needs of the diners (…) there can be meals from 200 to 500 pesos or more, depending on the menu that the diner chooses; Most of the companies look for a place like this to have their dinners, their meals with their staff”, he explained.

Regarding the results of this line of business, on the occasion of El Buen Fin, Garabed Narinian highlighted that the balance was positive for businesses located in the Historic Center and in shopping centers, but not for those located on the outskirts.

The state president of Canirac estimated that this sector has closed El Buen Fin with a 20% rise in sales compared to last year. The chamber brings together around 300 business units in the state.

“Those of us who are on the periphery, due to logistics problems, did not do so well, but those who are in the Historic Center and in commercial centers did very well,” he added.

In the state of Queretaro there are approximately 9,372 restaurants, according to the National Statistical Directory of Economic Units (Denue).

Most of these units, 94.9% (8,897), are establishments that employ fewer than 10 employees, details the directory of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).

estados@eleconomista.mx

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