Trends in food and alcohol consumption away from home
1995
Schwenk, N.E.
In the early 1970's, American households spent about one-fifth of their food dollar on food away from home. From the mid-1980's to the present, households have been spending about twice that proportion on food away from home. According to the 1992 Consumer Expenditure Survey, U.S. households allocated 38 percent of their food dollar to food away from home and 46 percent of their alcohol dollar to alcohol consumed outside the home. Consumers who spent the greatest share of their food dollar on food away from home were in the highest income quintile, under age 25, or living alone. Sales at eating and drinking places were up 134 percent between 1980 and 1993, with a corresponding 48-percent increase in the number of employees at these establishments. Factors that influence the decision to dine out include the increasing numbers of women in the labor force, the trend toward more one-person households, price competition among restaurants, and the interest in restaurants that offer some type of entertainment. Consumption trends when dining out, demographic influences, and other issues of concern to nutritionists, food policymakers, and restaurateurs are presented.
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