Grocery foodservice has moved from an occasional convenience to an everyday dinner strategy for U.S. households, according to new research from FMI-The Food Industry Association. The findings point supermarkets toward a fresh opportunity: positioning prepared foods as practical meal solutions rather than stand-alone purchases.
FMI’s latest study, The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2026, finds that 56% of households combine home preparation with foods prepared outside the home for dinner at least once a week. In other words, deli items now sit at the center of how many families eat.
“We’re seeing more and more households replace home-cooked and restaurant meals with deli-prepared foods,” said David Haaf, vice president of fresh foods for FMI. “The opportunity for food retailers is to reframe their foodservice department as a go-to resource.”
A Steady Shift Toward Grocery Foodservice
The new data builds on momentum FMI tracked a year ago. In its 2025 edition, the association reported that 53% of Americans took a hybrid approach to meals, pairing deli-prepared options with other items. That earlier report also showed that the share of consumers choosing deli-prepared foods instead of restaurant meals more than doubled, climbing from 12% in 2017 to 28% in 2025.
Sales tell a similar story. According to FMI, retail foodservice dollar sales grew 1.6% to $52.1 billion over the 12 months covered by that 2025 report.
Prepared Foods as Flexible Building Blocks
This year, FMI urges retailers to rethink the deli counter’s role. Instead of selling only complete meals, stores can offer components that fit how shoppers already cook.
The report shows consumers want meal bundles and heat-and-eat sides. They also look for family-size portions. Many shoppers like combinations of prepared and grocery items that make assembling dinner easy.
Haaf noted that a store does not always need to supply the whole plate. “In some cases, the foodservice department may only need to solve a part of the meal a shopper seeks to make,” he said. “Often, the shopper is searching for meal inspiration more than the actual main dish or side component.”
For merchandisers, that insight matters. A rotisserie chicken placed next to bagged salads and fresh bread, for instance, can answer the nightly “what’s for dinner?” question in one stop.
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Timing Shapes Meal Decisions
Shoppers’ needs shift daily with their schedules, work locations, and personal circumstances. Even so, FMI identifies clear windows when people decide what to eat.
The report finds that half of same-day dinner decisions happen between 3 and 7 p.m. Similar windows exist for breakfast and lunch. As a result, foodservice departments have several chances each day to meet customers at the right moment.
Retailers can act on this pattern through staffing, product rotation, and promotions. Fresh, ready-to-grab options during late afternoon could capture shoppers who have not yet planned dinner.
Building a Signature Reputation
Despite this growth, many stores still lack a standout identity. Only one-third of shoppers say their primary grocery store is known for a deli-prepared item. Those who name one typically cite rotisserie or roasted chicken, subs, deli meat, sushi, or pizza.
“Put your foodservice department on the map with a solid reputational offering,” Haaf said. “Shoppers tell us they are open to culturally diverse foodservice options and that prepared foods can often be a trip driver. There is real value in being a store known for a certain foodservice item and offering enough variety that entices shoppers beyond the grocery foodservice department.”
That advice echoes FMI’s message from last year, when an association official said a signature item helps retailers anchor their value proposition with consumers.
Inside the Research
The 2026 study marks the 11th installment of FMI’s annual series on shopper attitudes and behaviors around deli-prepared foods. FMI surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,480 U.S. grocery shoppers ages 18 and older. The online survey ran July 8-15, 2026, and carries a maximum sampling error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
FMI designed the report for foodservice department leaders, fresh food merchandisers, and deli suppliers. Executives shaping fresh food strategy may also find value in its consumer insights.
Ultimately, the association sees a clear path forward. Prepared foods now play a regular role in daily meals, even as routines grow less predictable. Grocers that understand when shoppers need help, sharpen their food offering, and make meal solutions easy to build and buy can compete for more of those meal occasions.