Restaurants and dining out : Geography of a tourism business

Restaurants and dining out are an important part of the tourism industry and are a major business in their own right. They also have characteristics that make a geographical analysis especially pertinent: They require movement through space, there are strong regional variations in patterns of restaurant development, and location is an important factor in the success of a restaurant. This paper examines two aspects of the geography of the restaurant industry in Canada: national patterns of restaurant development and the tendency to dine out, and local patterns of site selection. Basic patterns are described and possible processes influencing these patterns identified. Recommendations are given for the location of new restaurants of different types