Foodservice Equipment Sales Grow, but Short of Projections With Fewer Projects in Industry Pipeline

Foodservice equipment and supplies sales rose in the first quarter of 2026, but overall growth was lower than expected, according to the latest Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry (MAFSI) Business Barometer.

Sales were up 1% for the quarter, led by a 4.9% increase in the supply category. The other categories saw smaller or negative growth, with equipment up 0.9% and furniture seeing a 0.6% increase, while tabletop products fell 0.5%. As a result, the industry fell short of the 3.5% growth MAFSI had projected.

Despite lower-than-expected sales, quoting and consultant activity improved compared to Q4 2025, resulting in the strongest quarter in the past four years. It’s questionable whether that increase in activity will be sustained, as Q1 2026 saw only 880 new projects, a 13% decrease compared to the beginning of 2025 and 10% fewer than Q4 2025.

In addition, MAFSI noted that the foodservice equipment, supplies, tabletop, and furniture market is experiencing inflationary pressures, with the rising costs of food, gasoline, tariffs, and transportation likely to dampen demand. As a result of those economic factors, MAFSI is now forecasting 1.5% growth for Q2 2026.

The full MAFSI Business Barometer is available here.