Food away from home

Food-Away-From-Home (FAFH) covers meals and snacks supplied by commercial food service establishments and by eating facilities in non commercial institutions.

Segments covered in FAFH

According to the USDA, food-away-from-home accounted for over 50% of total U.S. food expenditures in 2022, reflecting a long-term trend where spending at restaurants and other foodservice establishments has surpassed spending on food at home. ^[1]

Commercial Foodservice

• Limited service restaurants: quick service restaurants, quick casual dining, cafeteria, delivery and take-away, and buffet
• Full-service restaurants: family style restaurants, casual dining, upscale casual dining and fine dining restaurants
• Drinking place: bars & taverns
• Lodging: hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts, etc.
• Retail stores (including vending machine sales),
• Recreational places (i.e. movie theaters, bowling alleys, pool parlors, sports arenas, amusement parks, camps, golf and country clubs).

Non-commercial foodservice

• Schools and colleges
• Healthcare facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes
• Business and industry foodservice, such as employee cafeterias in offices, factories, and plants ^[2]
• Other institutions, including military bases, airlines, child care centers, and civic or social organizations

See also

• Foodservice distributor

References

1. "Food Expenditure Series". Economic Research Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2025-09-29. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
2. "Food Service Industry Overview". Economic Research Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2025-12-09.

• United States Department of Agriculture: U.S. Trends in Eating Away From Home - J. C. Durnagan, J. W. Hackett
• United States Department of Agriculture: The Demand for Food Away From Home: Full-Service or Fast Food? - H. Stewart, N. Blisard, S. Bhuyan, R. M. Nayga Jr.

External links

• McDvoice – McDonalds Survey Website
• Restaurant Ordering System Software