Decades of Change!

The food service industry has seen many changes throughout the past few decades. Here are a few interesting facts of how things have changed.

• Women entering the workforce was a major factor in the shift toward convenient meal solutions for families. In 1960, 32% of the workforce was comprised of women; by 2007, women represented 49%.
• The number of restaurants (or locations to purchase food away from home) now exceeds 900,000. That is one restaurant for every 300 people! There is likely overcapacity and we will see some continuing rationalization.
• In 1960, the consumer’s food dollar was spent primarily on buying groceries to prepare meals at home; by 2007, the average consumer spent over 48% of their food dollar on meals prepared away from home.