Restaurant sales hit record low in 2018 despite rising consumption

South Korean consumers, data show, have been spending more overall, but restaurants and bars last year... saw their lowest sales since data was first compiled in 2010. According to Statistics Korea, restaurant and bar sales for 2018 were down 1-point-8 percent from the year before,... even though overall consumption was up 4-point-2 percent.The agency says that's mainly due to changes in dining culture.More people chose to buy ready-made meals in convenience stores... and these days there are fewer official get-togethers after work.With restaurants having to shed staff,... data show more than 46-thousand people in the industry had to look for another job last year.