datahud.ai // FOOD EXPENDITURE SERIES

The Great Food Dollar Migration

Share of US food spending going to food away from home (restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, everything someone else cooks), 1997–2025. The majority of the American food dollar now buys prepared food.

FAFH share, 2025

—

$1.41T of $2.51T

First crossed 50%

2007

ahead for good since 2010

Growth since 2010

~7%/yr

vs ~4% food at home

COVID crater

2020

erased within two years

FAFH % of food dollars verified anchor (sourced) interpolated (pending FES worksheet) 50% — the majority line

SOURCE: USDA ERS Food Expenditure Series (June 2026 revision), nominal, all purchasers, excluding taxes & tips. Anchor years verified against ERS publications; intervening years interpolated — replace with exact FES worksheet values before deployment (see DATA array in source). Companion to datahud.ai/foodbev.