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, limited-service 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 limited-service and full-service outlets, and
  • recent issues in the foodservice industry such as diet quality and nutrition labeling