Food Service Industry

Foodservice outlets are facilities that serve meals and snacks for immediate consumption on site (food away from home).  Commercial foodservice establishments accounted for the bulk of food-away-from-home expenditures. This category includes full-service restaurants, fast food outlets, caterers, some cafeterias, and other places that prepare, serve, and sell food to the general public for a profit.

ERS research examines:

• the size of the growing foodservice market,
• the major market segments such as fast food and full-service outlets, and
• recent issues in the foodservice industry such as diet quality and nutrition labeling.