The foodservice industry is broadly defined to include establishments, institutions, and
companies that are responsible for any meal eaten outside of the home. The foodservice
industry covers restaurants, cafeterias, catering operations, and several other types of
places that serve food outside of the home. Sales to all of these various foodservice
categories are estimated to be approximately $400 billion. In fact, the foodservice industry
is one of the largest employers in the United States and includes companies such as Aramark,
Compass Group, Crown Group, and Sodexho.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, accommodation and food services – what we
will refer to as the hospitality market segment – makes up about 8.1 percent of all
employment. The hospitality market includes segments such as Bars & Taverns, Catering,
Fast Food, Food Service & Hospitality Companies, Hotels & Lodging, Restaurants, and Travel
Services.
Per Technomic’s forecast (revised July 2007), total sales for the U.S. hospitality
industry in 2006 broke down as follows:
| Segment |
2006 Retail Sales Equivalent ($ Billions) |
| Total Restaurants and Bars |
$328,982 |
| Limited Service |
$173,841 |
| Full Service |
$153,224 |
| Bars and Taverns |
$1,917 |
| Total Beyond Restaurants and Bars |
$184,204 |
| Retail Hosts |
$43,544 |
| Travel and Leisure |
$38,962 |
| Business and Industry |
$21,331 |
| Education |
$26,143 |
| Healthcare |
$19,507 |
| All Other |
$34,718 |
| Total Foodservice |
$513,186 |
