Moscow is still the most expensive city. A cup of coffee costs nearly seven Euro, 50 percent more than on Paris. The lowest average price for a cup of coffee is 1.40 Euro in Buenos Aires.

Cost of Living – Price for a cup of coffee (service fee included)

Moscow    €6.92
Paris        €4.60
Athens        €4.50
Beijing        €4.26
Berlin        €3.50
Tokyo        €3.42
Munich        €3.20
Prague        €3.11
Brussels    €3.10
Dublin        €3.00
London        €2.93
Hamburg    €2.80
Amsterdam    €2.75
Frankfurt    €2.75
Zagreb        €2.75
Vancouver    €2.64
New York    €2.55
Syndey        €2.47
Warsaw    €2.51
Rome        €2.50
Madrid        €2.30
Dusseldorf    €2.20
Leipzig        €2.05
Johannesburg    €1.60
Buenos Aires    €1.40

Source: Mercer – Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2008

Time is money: Only 33 percent of the working population in France have lunch in full service restaurants. Over 60 percent of the employees and worker prefer prepared meals in advance and the daily foodservice in canteen and cafeterias. The typical ‘lunch breakers’ in France are between 25 and 44 years old and are employees in the middle management. Only a quarter of them could get at home for lunch break. 75 percent have to chose between several budget lunch occasions: 34 percent of the French working class have their prepared meals in advance – in minimum once a week. 15 percent of them have ‘meals on wheels’ daily. 28 percent of the companies staff visit a canteen or cafeteria once a week (16% of them daily).
Source: CHD Expert France, study “Panorama de la restauration: La pause déjeuner” 2008

Net income of public restaurant chains was down sharply in the first quarter compared to year-before figures, leading to weaker margins. Net income declined by a weighted 28.1% among 70 companies reporting their financials (excluding McDonald’s). Even with McDonald’s enormous size and strong global results, weighted net income figures for all 71 companies including McDonald’s were down 5.5%. Bottom-line earnings were down 10.7% at LSRs (excluding McDonald’s) and a dramatic 50.8% at FSRs, compared to the same quarter of 2007.

Source: Technomic

The UK has the highest average check per guest in Europe, with spending per capita in the a-la-carte restaurant at 29.97 Euro. The average check in France is 21.30 Euro, followed by Spain at 18.10 Euro and Germany at 14.53 Euro. This information is based on a new survey conducted and presented by CHD Expert Group.

The luxury hotel industry is strong expanding. 55% of all top hotel projects worldwide will be luxury hotels. About 500,000 new hotel rooms are planned globally – most of them in Europe: 32% of all projects will be opened in the old continent, 26% in East Asia and 22% in North America.

Source: tophotelprojects.com / CHD Expert Group