Ana M. López
Research expert covering travel, tourism and hospitality
Foodservice in Mexico - statistics & facts
Food is been a distinctive feature of every culture and civilization around the world. Apart from being a means of survival, it is a pillar for social interaction and recreation. Beyond everyday family life, food and beverage consumption has developed into an entire out-of-home industry which includes restaurants, cafés, bars, food trucks, and catering services.
In Mexico, food and beverage services contributed approximately 1.6 trillion Mexican pesos to the country’s gross domestic product in 2023. Considering exchange rates of December 31st of that year, it totaled around 96 billion U.S. dollars. This figure also represents an increase of 15.2 percent since 2019 – right before the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Craving for small bites
The Mexican foodservice industry constitutes an important part of the tourism sector. Mostly composed of small- and medium-sized enterprises according to the most recent national economic census, around one-quarter of the foodservice businesses in Mexico are operated in either family houses or as semi-ambulant stands. In technical terms, these establishments are considered part of the street food segment, for which Mexico is worldwide famous. ‘Antojitos’ – literally translated into English as cravings – are a typical form of Mexican street food that includes a wide range of options such as tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, chilaquiles, nachos, and tortas. Though restaurants and street food vendors offering typical dishes are present across the entire country, Guadalajara – capital of the state of Jalisco – is, according to the 2023/2024 TasteAtlas Awards, the city with the best food in the country.Heavy weights in the industry
Mexico is also home to some of Latin America’s key players in the market. Among them is Alsea S.A.B. de C.V. – a multi-brand company present in the industry since 1997. The foodservice group, which operates world-renowned brands like Starbucks and Domino’s Pizza, managed to expand outside Mexican territory. In 2023, Alsea was also present in eleven other South American and European countries, with Spain being its second-largest market based on the number of establishments. In the national market, Restaurantes Toks ranks among the top foodservice providers as well, with nearly 200 outlets distributed across the country. Toks is one of the brands operated by Grupo Gigante – a holding group with subsidiaries in various retail segments.
