2026 Q1 Hospitality Sales Snapshot Restaurant Association

The 2026 Q1 Hospitality Sales Snapshot provides top line sales statistics on the hospitality industry.

In the first quarter of 2026 New Zealand’s hospitality sector recorded $4.26 billion in sales, marking 6.5 per cent year-on-year growth.

Following one of the toughest periods on record, a stronger finish to 2025 created cautious optimism that 2026 might mark a genuine turning point. And while the first quarter in 2026 hasn’t been without it’s unpredicted hurdles, the latest sales figures do provide some encouraging signs.

The café and restaurant sector overall continued stronger momentum, recording $2.16 billion in sales and growing 8.1 per cent year-on-year.

Queenstown-Lakes recorded the strongest growth, with sales increasing 21.9 per cent year-on-year. Canterbury and Manawatū-Whanganui also posted strong gains, while Auckland – which accounts for more than 38 per cent of national industry sales – recorded growth of 5.5 per cent. At the same time, not all reg...