Singapore Café Sales Stopped Falling in September: What Owners Should Do Next

By Alva Chew · Updated 2026-11-08

In short SingStat reported on 5 November 2026 that Singapore F&B sales rose 1.0% year on year in September, reversing a 1.8% fall in August. Café sales were up just 0.1%, so the rebound is thin. Use it to lock in your regulars with a reward you can afford, not to start discounting.

What did SingStat publish?

On 5 November 2026 the Singapore Department of Statistics released its Retail Sales Index and Food & Beverage Services Index for September 2026. Sales of F&B services rose 1.0% year on year, “reversing the 1.8% decline in August 2026”. The estimated value was S$1.6 billion, of which 21.1% was online.

F&B segment	August 2026, year on year	September 2026, year on year	September 2026, month on month (seasonally adjusted)
Total F&B services	-1.8%	1.0%	0.8%
Restaurants	-2.3%	2.6%	1.1%
Fast food outlets	7.8%	7.6%	1.1%
Cafés	-4.8%	0.1%	3.6%
Food caterers	2.8%	-0.2%	3.0%
Food courts and other eating places	-5.4%	-4.2%	-2.4%

Source: SingStat, September 2026 press release, Table 2.

One detail for readers of our earlier note on food prices and café sales: the August figures in this table are the revised ones. They differ slightly from the first release, which showed cafés down 5.3% and total F&B down 1.6%.

What does the rebound mean for a café?

Cafés grew 0.1% year on year (SingStat). That is flat, not a recovery. The 3.6% month-on-month rise is a seasonally adjusted change on August, which tells you the slide stopped. It does not tell you cafés are back to last year’s level.

SingStat does not explain the movements. Our reading is that fewer customers are treating café visits as a given, so the shops that keep their regulars coming back are the ones that hold sales. That is an inference, not something the release states.

What does it mean for restaurants?

Restaurants rose 2.6% year on year after falling 2.3% in August, a turn of nearly five percentage points. Fast food outlets kept growing at 7.6%. Food courts and other eating places were the one segment still falling, down 4.2% year on year and 2.4% on the month.

What should an owner do with a thin rebound?

Keep the reward steady and keep it visible

If sales are only flat, the cheapest extra revenue is one more visit from someone who already knows you. A points-based loyalty program rewards that visit without cutting your menu price for everyone. Our comparison of loyalty programs and discounts sets out why.

Reach the customers who have gone quiet

August was weak, so some of your regulars probably came less often. Look at who has not been in for a month or two and give them a reason to return. Our guide to winning back lapsed customers walks through the steps.

Do not read one month as a trend

SingStat published one positive month after a negative one. Wait for October’s release, which on this year’s pattern should arrive in early December, before you change prices or staffing.

What do the retail numbers say?

According to SingStat, retail sales rose 1.7% year on year in September. Excluding motor vehicles, they rose 2.5%. Mini-marts and convenience stores fell 5.6% and department stores fell 3.4%, while cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods rose 6.0%. Seasonally adjusted retail sales fell 1.0% on August. If you run a shop, our page on loyalty programs for retail shops covers rewards for repeat buyers.

Where does Gimify fit?

Gimify is a points-only digital loyalty program for cafés, restaurants and shops. If you want to see how a points reward would work at your counter, start with the café guide.

Questions owners ask

How did Singapore F&B sales do in September 2026?

F&B services sales rose 1.0% year on year in September 2026, reversing a 1.8% decline in August, according to SingStat. On a seasonally adjusted basis they rose 0.8% on the previous month. Total sales were about S$1.6 billion.

Did café sales recover in September 2026?

Barely. Café sales rose 0.1% year on year, after a 4.8% fall in August. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis they rose 3.6%, so the direction has turned, but the level is flat against a year ago.

How much of Singapore F&B spending is online?

SingStat estimates 21.1% of F&B sales in September 2026 were online, up from 20.9% in August. The release does not say how much of that is delivery and how much is pre-ordering.

Is a rebound a reason to stop thinking about retention?

No. A flat year on year for cafés means the same number of dollars is being spent as last year. Owners still win by getting more visits from the customers they already have.