The foodservice sector accounted for 6.0% of all U.S. consumer spending in 2024. The average American household spent $5,785 on food away from home the previous year. This article examines the labor, cost, and consumer trends shaping this trillion-dollar industry.
Key Takeaways
- $5,785 per household U.S. annual restaurant & other food away-from-home spending in 2023 (expenditure per household category).
- $1.2 trillion U.S. restaurant and foodservice spending in 2023 (economic indicator for the sector).
- 6.0% of U.S. total consumer spending was on food services and drinking places in 2024 (share of household expenditures).
- 3.8 million people employed in food services and drinking places in April 2023 (BLS employment level).
- 16.1% of workers in food services and drinking places were paid at or below the federal minimum wage (distribution share in 2022).
- 3.3% unemployment rate among food preparation and serving-related occupations in 2023 (BLS occupational unemployment indicator).
- 6.9% of the U.S. CPI basket is tied to food away from home in 2024 (relative weight).
- 3.1% year-over-year increase in U.S. food prices for restaurant meals in 2023 (inflation measure reported by BLS).
- 2.9% of restaurant revenue was attributed to packaging and supplies in 2023 (industry benchmark).
- 41.0% of total food loss and waste occurred at the consumer level globally in 2019 (FAO estimate).
- 65% of consumers report checking nutrition information when available at restaurants (survey-reported behavior).
- 1.4% year-over-year change in bankruptcy filings for restaurants in 2024 (court/industry tracking metric).
- 33% of consumers prefer contactless pickup in 2023 (survey behavior).
- 65% of consumers said they would pay more for better service in 2024 (survey share).
- 48% of restaurant operators planned to expand their digital ordering in 2024 (planning survey share).
In 2023 and 2024, US foodservice spending stayed strong while labor and costs reshaped the sector.
Related reading
01 · Category
Labor & Employment11 stats
01
3.8 million people employed in food services and drinking places in April 2023 (BLS employment level).
02
16.1% of workers in food services and drinking places were paid at or below the federal minimum wage (distribution share in 2022).
03
3.3% unemployment rate among food preparation and serving-related occupations in 2023 (BLS occupational unemployment indicator).
04
$16.20average hourly wage for fast food and counter workers in the U.S. in May 2023 (BLS OES).
05
$18.35average hourly wage for restaurant cooks in the U.S. in May 2023 (BLS OES).
06
$15.48average hourly wage for waiters and waitresses in the U.S. in May 2023 (BLS OES).
07
8.5 million job openings in the U.S. were in food preparation and serving-related occupations in 2023 (BLS JOLTS occupational category).
08
$100.0 billion U.S. restaurant payroll for food services and drinking places in 2023 (BLS CES/NAICS payroll aggregate).
09
3.2 million restaurant jobs in the U.S. were in the past-dining economy in 2023 (sector employment count).
10
10.8% of restaurant workers reported part-time schedules in 2022 (survey).
11
2.0% of foodservice employees were union members in 2023 (union membership rate).
Interpretation
Labor & Employment Interpretation
Labor and Employment in food services stands out for its large workforce and low pay pressures, with 3.8 million people employed in April 2023 and 16.1% of workers paid at or below the federal minimum wage in 2022, even as unemployment for food preparation and serving roles remains relatively low at 3.3% in 2023.
02 · Category
Performance Metrics5 stats
01
41.0% of total food loss and waste occurred at the consumer level globally in 2019 (FAO estimate).
02
65% of consumers report checking nutrition information when available at restaurants (survey-reported behavior).
03
1.4% year-over-year change in bankruptcy filings for restaurants in 2024 (court/industry tracking metric).
04
2.3% of U.S. restaurants had closed in 2023 (business dynamics estimate for closures).
05
11.2% of restaurant revenue came from off-premise sales in 2023 (industry off-premise share).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics suggest that while only 41.0% of food loss happens at the consumer level, restaurant financial pressure remains evident with a 2.3% closure rate in 2023 and off premise sales reaching 11.2% of revenue in 2023.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
6.9% of the U.S. CPI basket is tied to food away from home in 2024 (relative weight).
02
3.1% year-over-year increase in U.S. food prices for restaurant meals in 2023 (inflation measure reported by BLS).
03
2.9% of restaurant revenue was attributed to packaging and supplies in 2023 (industry benchmark).
04
$3.8 billion U.S. retail foodservice energy and utility costs in 2023 (industry utility expense estimate).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures are clearly rising in foodservice, with restaurant meal prices up 3.1% year over year in 2023 and energy and utility costs reaching $3.8 billion the same year, while packaging and supplies still took 2.9% of revenue, underscoring why cost analysis remains a critical lens.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
$5,785per household U.S. annual restaurant & other food away-from-home spending in 2023 (expenditure per household category).
02
$1.2 trillion U.S. restaurant and foodservice spending in 2023 (economic indicator for the sector).
03
6.0% of U.S. total consumer spending was on food services and drinking places in 2024 (share of household expenditures).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
With U.S. restaurant and foodservice spending at about $1.2 trillion in 2023 and food services accounting for 6.0% of total consumer spending in 2024, the market size remains large and still meaningfully sized at roughly $5,785 per household annually for away from home food spending.
05 · Category
Workforce & Labor2 stats
01
Foodservice labor productivity increased by 1.4% in 2023 (index measure, annual change).
02
2.1% of jobs in the U.S. were in food services and drinking places in 2023 (employment share).
Interpretation
Workforce & Labor Interpretation
In the Workforce and Labor category, foodservice saw labor productivity rise by 1.4% in 2023 while still employing 2.1% of U.S. jobs in food services and drinking places, pointing to steady output gains alongside a meaningful share of the workforce.
06 · Category
Industry Overview4 stats
01
33% of consumers prefer contactless pickup in 2023 (survey behavior).
02
65% of consumers said they would pay more for better service in 2024 (survey share).
03
48% of restaurant operators planned to expand their digital ordering in 2024 (planning survey share).
04
36% of restaurant operators cited customer data/analytics as a top reason for implementing CRM in 2024 (survey share).
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Foodservice’s industry overview is being shaped by a rapid shift toward digital and data driven experiences, with 48% of operators planning to expand digital ordering in 2024 and 36% prioritizing customer data and analytics for CRM while consumers increasingly value modern pickup options and service quality.
report visual · Comparison
How big foodservice is vs. how it’s run
Employment, spending, and wage levels show the scale of foodservice alongside day-to-day labor conditions.
$100.0 billion U.S. restaurant payroll for food services and drinking places in 2023 (BLS CES/NAICS payroll aggregate).$100.0 billion
$16.20 average hourly wage for fast food and counter workers in the U.S. in May 2023 (BLS OES).
$16.20
16.1% of workers in food services and drinking places were paid at or below the federal minimum wage (distribution share
16.1%
3.8 million people employed in food services and drinking places in April 2023 (BLS employment level).
3.8
source-verifiedbls.gov2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Foodservice Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/foodservice-industry-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Foodservice Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/foodservice-industry-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Foodservice Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/foodservice-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
29 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)