Food services and drinking places employed 13.6 million people in the U.S. last year. That sector also grew its headcount by 2.6% year-over-year this March. These metrics anchor a broader look at employment, market size, and consumer trends shaping the industry.
Key Takeaways
- 4.4 million U.S. grocery store employees in 2022
- 13.6 million people employed in food services and drinking places in the U.S. (all ages) in 2023
- 2.6% year-over-year employment growth in food services and drinking places in March 2024 vs March 2023
- 31% of U.S. adults used online grocery shopping in 2021
- $997.5 billion global foodservice market revenue in 2023
- $155.2 billion global meal kit services market in 2023
- In the U.S., 63% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable food products (2023 survey)
- 60% of U.S. consumers expect fast delivery (under 30 minutes) (2023 survey)
- 44% of consumers said price is the most important factor when ordering food online (2023)
- U.S. food inflation (CPI food at home) increased 5.9% year-over-year in March 2024
- U.S. restaurant and other food services prices increased 4.8% year-over-year in March 2024
- U.S. food-at-home prices rose by 2.7% year-over-year in 2023 (average)
- Drive-thru accounted for 56% of quick-service restaurant sales in the U.S. in 2023
- Food delivery sales worldwide were $165 billion in 2022
- The global meal kit industry grew at a CAGR of 10% from 2018 to 2023
Foodservice jobs are growing as wages rise, while inflation and food waste pressure the industry.
Related reading
01 · Category
Labor & Employment19 stats
01
4.4 million U.S. grocery store employees in 2022
02
13.6 million people employed in food services and drinking places in the U.S. (all ages) in 2023
03
2.6% year-over-year employment growth in food services and drinking places in March 2024 vs March 2023
04
7.1% of all U.S. workers are employed in food services and drinking places (industry share) in 2023
05
The U.S. had 668,000 food preparation and serving workers employed in 2023 (NAICS/occupation level employment)
06
1.9 million people were employed in “Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations” in the U.S. in 2023
07
4.2% projected annual employment growth for chefs and head cooks in the U.S. from 2022 to 2032
08
6.0% projected annual employment growth for cooks from 2022 to 2032 in the U.S.
09
3.6% projected annual employment growth for food preparation workers (all other) from 2022 to 2032 in the U.S.
10
5.0% unemployment rate among food preparation and serving related workers in the U.S. (annual average, 2023)
11
Median hourly wage for cooks in the U.S. was $18.00in May 2023
12
Median hourly wage for chefs and head cooks in the U.S. was $25.00in May 2023
13
Median hourly wage for food preparation workers in the U.S. was $15.00in May 2023
14
12.4% of restaurant employees in the U.S. were in the ‘Food Prep’ occupation group in 2023
15
8.4% of restaurant workers were paid at or near minimum wage in 2023
16
Food and beverage serving workers had a median hourly wage of $14.90in May 2023 (U.S.)
17
Bartenders had a median hourly wage of $15.00in May 2023 (U.S.)
18
Waiters and waitresses had a median hourly wage of $14.50in May 2023 (U.S.)
19
Food preparation and serving related workers had an employment of 7.8 million in the U.S. in 2023
Interpretation
Labor & Employment Interpretation
With food services and drinking places employing 7.1% of all U.S. workers in 2023 and projecting 4.2% to 6.0% annual growth for chefs and cooks through 2032, hiring momentum is strong even though wages remain modest, such as a $18.00 median hourly rate for cooks and a 5.0% unemployment rate among food preparation and serving-related workers in 2023.
02 · Category
Market Size14 stats
01
31% of U.S. adults used online grocery shopping in 2021
02
$997.5 billion global foodservice market revenue in 2023
03
$155.2 billion global meal kit services market in 2023
04
The U.S. had 384,000 full-service restaurant establishments in 2023
05
The U.S. had 260,000 limited-service restaurant establishments in 2023
06
Food delivery platforms in the U.S. had 34 million users in 2023 (online food delivery users)
07
U.S. supermarket sales were $800.0 billion in 2022
08
U.S. supermarket e-commerce sales were $76.4 billion in 2022
09
$172.4 billion U.S. packaged food sales in 2023
10
$63.2 billion U.S. foodservice equipment market in 2023
11
$112 billion global kitchen appliances market in 2022
12
The global home cooking appliances market was valued at $75.3 billion in 2023
13
$7.2 billion global food waste management market size in 2023
14
The global meal kits market is forecast to reach $18.6 billion by 2028
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
With U.S. supermarket e commerce rising to $76.4 billion in 2022 and online grocery adoption reaching 31% of adults in 2021, the data shows a clear shift toward digital food shopping while meal kits scale from a $155.2 billion global market in 2023 to a projected $18.6 billion by 2028.
03 · Category
Consumer Demand3 stats
01
In the U.S., 63% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable food products (2023 survey)
02
60% of U.S. consumers expect fast delivery (under 30 minutes) (2023 survey)
03
44% of consumers said price is the most important factor when ordering food online (2023)
Interpretation
Consumer Demand Interpretation
In the U.S., while 63% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable food, 60% expect fast delivery in under 30 minutes and 44% still rank price as the top factor for online orders, showing sustainability matters but speed and cost drive decisions day to day.
More related reading
04 · Category
Cost Analysis22 stats
01
U.S. food inflation (CPI food at home) increased 5.9% year-over-year in March 2024
02
U.S. restaurant and other food services prices increased 4.8% year-over-year in March 2024
03
U.S. food-at-home prices rose by 2.7% year-over-year in 2023 (average)
04
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 124.3 points in 2022
05
FAO Food Price Index averaged 135.8 points in 2021
06
U.S. wholesale chicken price index increased 9.6% year-over-year in 2023
07
U.S. PPI for beef cattle rose 14.2% in 2022
08
U.S. consumer price index for cooking oil increased 10.3% year-over-year in 2022 (CPI subcategory)
09
Energy costs increased 5.0% for foodservice businesses in 2023 (U.S. utility price change indicator)
10
Packaging costs increased 9.2% year-over-year for foodservice supplies in 2023
11
The U.S. CPI for ‘Food away from home’ increased 4.6% year-over-year in April 2024
12
The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 136.6 points in 2022
13
FAO Meat Price Index averaged 124.7 points in 2022
14
FAO Dairy Price Index averaged 130.0 points in 2022
15
FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index averaged 160.5 points in 2022
16
FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 130.9 points in 2022
17
U.S. grocery shrink (inventory loss) was 1.5% of sales in 2022 (industry estimate)
18
U.S. restaurant inventory shrink averaged 4% of sales (industry estimate)
19
U.S. foodservice inflation exceeded CPI by 0.8 percentage points in 2023 (difference indicator)
20
U.S. menu prices increased 5.1% in 2023 (CPI restaurants and other eating places)
21
U.S. wholesale dairy prices fell 2.3% year-over-year in 2023 (PPI subseries)
22
U.S. wholesale produce prices increased 1.6% year-over-year in 2023 (PPI subseries)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Across 2021 to 2024, food costs have stayed pressured, with the FAO Food Price Index falling from 135.8 in 2021 to 124.3 in 2022 but U.S. food away from home still rising 4.6% year over year in April 2024 and menu prices climbing 5.1% in 2023, alongside steep input swings like wholesale chicken up 9.6% in 2023 and packaging supplies up 9.2% in 2023.
05 · Category
Industry Trends10 stats
01
Drive-thru accounted for 56% of quick-service restaurant sales in the U.S. in 2023
02
Food delivery sales worldwide were $165 billion in 2022
03
The global meal kit industry grew at a CAGR of 10% from 2018 to 2023
04
The global smart kitchen appliances market was $6.1 billion in 2022
05
Global vegan food market reached $7.6 billion in 2022
06
The global sustainable packaging market reached $91.3 billion in 2022
07
Global food waste was 931 million tonnes in 2019 (FAO estimate, SDG 12.3 baseline)
08
Food lost and wasted across the supply chain amounts to about 1/3 of all food produced globally (2019 FAO)
09
The U.S. USDA estimates total U.S. food loss and waste was 30-40% of available food in 2010 (baseline, later reports maintain range)
10
63% of U.S. foodservice waste is estimated to be recoverable (US EPA food waste recovery estimate)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
With drive-thru representing 56% of U.S. quick-service sales in 2023 while the world spends about $165 billion on food delivery in 2022 and still loses around one third of all food produced, the data points to surging convenience and delivery demand alongside a persistent need to cut waste and improve recovery.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Cooking Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cooking-industry-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Cooking Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cooking-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Cooking Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cooking-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
45 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+28 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)