Business Library

Scope of This Guide:

The National Restaurant Association, the leading trade association for the U.S. restaurant industry, projects that 2006 sales will total $511 billion (an amount equaling 4 % of the U.S. gross domestic product). This industry employs 12.5 million workers, making it the country's largest private-sector employer. Employment opportunities will grow as it is estimated that this industry will add 1.9 million jobs by 2016. It is projected that the overall economic impact of this industry will exceed $1.3 trillion in 2006 as the restaurant industry generates significant sales and employment in related industries. Consumers are spending a greater proportion of their food dollars on meals away from home. While the U.S. restaurant industry's share of the food dollar was 25 % in 1955, this figure is now 47.5%. In 2004, the average U.S. household spent $2,434 on food away from home. This increase has been driven by rising incomes and growing consumer demand for convenience. The food service industry is divided into three general categories: commercial, institutional, and military. The commercial category, by far the largest, has two major segments: full-service and limited service restaurants, the latter also known as fast-food or carry-out restaurants. Among the key industry issues identified by the National Restaurant Association are the following: growing consumer demand for healthy and nutritious menu items, rising energy costs, and increasing consumer demand for even more convenient service options.

Source: "National Restaurant Association 2006 Restaurant Industry Fact Sheet"; "National Restaurant Association Says 2006 Sales Will Exceed Half-Trillion Dollar Mark for Nation's Largest Private-Sector Employer." Both documents available at: National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org).

Industry Definitions: Description by NAICS Sector / Sub-Sector

Databases for Industry Research

Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage

• Industry surveys
• Bond ratings
• Company profiles and corporation records
• Stock, bond and fund research

• Industry sector analysis and research
• Industry trends and statistics
• Market research and trends
• Company profiles

• Real-time full-text investment research
• Reports cover companies and industries
• Over 750 contributing firms

• Aggregate data and analysis on industries
• Reports, articles, and company highlights

ABI/Inform (via ProQuest)

• Indexes over 1000 business periodicals
• Trade journals, business magazines, academic journals and other news sources
• Most articles full text

IBISWorld

• Over 700 full-text industry reports
• Over 700 US industry risk rating reports
• Information on over 8000 Publicly Traded Companies
• Hundreds of economic and demographic profiles

For additional database choices, see:

1. Database Descriptions
2. Database Comparison Chart

Selected U.S./World Industry Data & Company Sites

Selected Companies

Full Service restaurants:

Darden Restaurants (operates Red Lobster and Olive Garden)
Brinker International, Inc. (operations include Chili's Grill & Bar)
Outback Steakhouse
Applebee's International. Inc

Limited service/Fast food:

McDonald's
Yum! Brands (brands include KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell)
Burger King
Wendy's International, Inc.

Selected Websites

Food Service Warehouse Education Center
Public resource center featuring a number of articles on choosing the right restaurant equipment and supplies, commercial kitchen care and repair, efficiency in foodservice operation, food and equipment safety etc.

Resources for Identifying Companies in the Industry

Hoover’s Online

• Proprietary company overviews
• Industry breakdowns and explanations
• Competitor listings
• Financial synopses

Lexis/Nexis Corporate Affiliations
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A219

• U.S. corporate directory
• Holding company directory

Mergent Online

• Information on 11,000 U.S. public companies and 17,000 non-U.S. Public companies
• Detailed, standardized financial statements
• Searchable by company name, industry codes, revenue levels, and other characteristics
• Comparative analysis among companies
• Access to SEC reports

Ward’s Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies
Business Library, Reference: HG4057.A56

• Listings organized by NAICS code
• Ranks public and private companies by revenues/sales

Library Collections: Selected Reference Titles & Call Number Ranges

Selected Reference Titles

For additional materials, contact the Schreyer Business Library.

Specialized Journals:

Cornell Hotel & Restaurant Administration Quarterly
TX901.C67

Food Management
TX945.S3501

FoodService Director
TX901.F62

FoodService Equipment & Supplies

Foodservice Research International
TX901.J86

Journal of Foodservice
TX901.J86

Journal of Foodservice Business Research
TX911.3.M3J683

Nation's restaurant news

Pizza Today

Restaurant Business
TP628.S7

Restaurant Hospitality

Restaurants & Institutions
TX1.I5802

School Foodservice & Nutrition
TX945.2.S36

Specialized Reference titles:

Domestic Outlook for Travel and Tourism
Business Library, Reference: G155.U6T69

Holiday Dining
Business Library, Reference: TX360.U6H6

Hourly Wages for Foodservice Occupations
Business Library, Reference: HD4966.H72H68

The Restaurant Industry 2010: The Road Ahead
Business Library, Reference: TX943.R475 1999

Restaurant Industry Forecast
Business Library, Reference: TX945.N39

Restaurant Industry Numbers: 25 Year History, 1970-1995
Business Library, Reference: TX945.R476 1998

Restaurant Industry Operations Report
Business Library, Reference: TX911.3.F5L303

Quickservice Restaurant Trends
Business Library, Reference: TX945.Q53

Restaurant Spending
Business Library, Reference TX945.R47

Tableservice Trends
Business Library, Reference: TX909.A1T32

Call # Ranges

TX631-TX951

Trade Associations: Selected Industry Associations Web Sites

National Restaurant Association

North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers

School Nutrition Association

• See also Associations Unlimited for association listings by subject or keyword.
• See also ABI/Inform for articles reporting trade association data.

Career Information: Selected Sources for Employment Information

Career Opportunities in the Food and Beverage Industry
Business Library, Reference: TX911.3.V62S56

National Restaurant Association
Select "Careers & Education" from the top menu

Vault Online Career Library (Currently, Vault Guides are facing problems opening in Adobe Reader 8.x. Please see here for using FREE Adobe Digital Editions to access these guides)

1. Vault provides full-text career and industry guides
2. Includes company profiles, occupation descriptions, and career-related articles

Career Guide to Industries (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Business Library, Reference: HF5382.5.U5 C3162

Occupational Outlook Handbook  (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
CAT record for print copies
Business Library, Reference: HD8051.A623

Career Resources Page

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Reference Desk:
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