Food away from home price inflation, 2025→2026

Food Away From Home Inflation Calculator

Prices for Food Away From Home, 2025-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food away from home are 1.37% higher in 2026 versus 2025 (a $0.27 difference in value).

Between 2025 and 2026: Food away from home experienced an average inflation rate of 1.37% per year. In other words, food away from home costing $20 in the year 2025 would cost $20.27 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 0.66% during this same period, inflation for food away from home was higher.

In the year 2025: Pricing changed by 3.59%, which is above the average yearly change for food away from home during the 2025-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2025 (2.65%), inflation for food away from home was higher.

Price Inflation for Food away from home since 1953

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1974 (12.77%), 1979 (11.17%), and 1980 (9.94%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 2025

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food away from home, over time, for $20 beginning in 2025. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
2025	$20.00	3.59%
2026	$20.27	1.37%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food away from home:

Year	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
CPI	21.533	21.900	22.133	22.558	23.433	24.108	24.792	25.450	26.000	26.717	27.308	27.775	28.400	29.700	31.225	32.858	34.875	37.475	39.408	40.983	44.183	49.825	54.483	58.167	62.575	68.275	75.900	83.442	90.942	95.800	99.983	104.208	108.325	112.558	117.033	121.767	127.392	133.408	137.917	140.700	143.225	145.650	148.958	152.658	157.008	161.067	165.100	168.983	173.850	178.292	182.100	187.508	193.417	199.383	206.659	215.769	223.272	226.114	231.401	237.987	243.069	248.981	256.101	262.695	268.826	275.893	284.410	293.944	307.296	330.822	354.256	368.743	381.975	387.202

Adjust food away from home prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 2025 * 2025 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Food away from home was 381.975 in the year 2025 and 387.202 in 2026:

387.202 / 381.975 * $20 = $20.27

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 2025 has the same "purchasing power" as $20.27 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Food away from home).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Food away from home in 1953. In addition to food away from home, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.