The value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was $16.8 billion in the first quarter in 2007, up 11.8% on the same quarter in 2006. Over the same period, the value of restaurants' total purchases grew 14.6%, to $5.7 billion.

Releasing the figures today, the Census & Statistics Department said total restaurant receipts rose 9.6% in volume in Q1 as compared to a year earlier, after discounting the effect of price changes.

Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants rose 15.2% in value, or 13.2% in volume, in Q1 as compared to a year earlier.

Chinese restaurants' total receipts grew 12.6% in value, or 10.5% in volume, while total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places rose 10.3% in value, or 7.2% in volume.

Total receipts of fast-food shops rose 7.2% in value, or by 5.3% in volume.

As for bars, total receipts fell 0.7% in value, or 6.7% in volume.