$1.415T
spent on food away from home
Households, businesses, and government purchasers spent a combined $1.415 trillion on food away from home in 2025.
BOHO reference desk
U.S. restaurant industry statistics.
Current numbers on restaurant spending, foodservice employment, and pay. Every figure links to its primary source.
Last updated September 8, 2026
The quick read
The numbers behind the shift.
Restaurant work is a cultural world, but it is also one of the largest parts of how America eats and works. This page gathers the figures that make that scale easier to understand, using public data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Food away from home” is the federal data term used for food and drinks bought from restaurants and other eating places rather than prepared at home. Spending figures are nominal dollars, meaning they are not adjusted for inflation unless noted.
The figures
Restaurant and foodservice stats.
$1.113T
from household restaurant spending
Households accounted for $1.113 trillion of food-away-from-home spending in 2025.
56.3%
of total food spending was away from home
Food away from home represented 56.3% of total U.S. food spending in 2025, ahead of food at home.
+$50.4B
more household spending in one year
Household food-away-from-home spending rose by $50.4 billion from 2024 to 2025, a 4.7% nominal increase.
Data date: 2024 to 2025Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Expenditure Series ↗
$249.2B
in business food-away-from-home purchases
Businesses purchased $249.2 billion in food away from home in 2025, covering meals and foodservice bought for business use.
$52.4B
in government food-away-from-home purchases
Government purchasers spent $52.4 billion on food away from home in 2025.
12.43M
jobs in food services and drinking places
U.S. food services and drinking places employed 12.43 million people in August 2026. This seasonally adjusted figure is preliminary.
Data date: August 2026Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Food Services and Drinking Places employment ↗
$20.31
average hourly earnings
Average hourly earnings for all employees in food services and drinking places were $20.31 in July 2026. This figure is preliminary.
Methodology and sources
Built to be cited.
This is a focused reference page, not a forecast. Spending figures use the USDA Economic Research Service Food Expenditure Series, revised in June 2026. The percentage and year-over-year change are calculated directly from the published 2024 and 2025 dollar totals.
Employment and earnings use the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics series for food services and drinking places. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures marked preliminary may be revised in a later monthly release.
For a straightforward citation, use: BOHO Back of House Outfitters. “U.S. Restaurant Industry Statistics.” Updated September 8, 2026. https://bohofitters.com/restaurant-industry-statistics
Primary sources: USDA Food Expenditure Series, BLS employment series, and BLS earnings series.
Explore BOHO chef tees →