
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 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.