CHICAGO, September 29, 2025 — Foodservice distributors still have a long way to go in their stated quest of being seen as true partners by the food-away-from-home operators they service, according to a newly released research report.
The study shows that only 11% of the food-away-from-home outlets using a distributor would characterize the relationship as a strategic partnership. Just 10% described the interactions as collaborative.
Indeed, only half the 400 operators who were surveyed said their interactions with the haulers could be termed “service-focused.” The assessment was based on such factors as the frequency of products being out of stock and the chances of a delivery being made at the scheduled time.
In contrast, another 28% of the 400 operators who participated in the survey said they would term their interactions with distributors as purely transactional. They need a product, and the supplier brings it. Any back-and-forth is purely utilitarian.
The findings come as distributors of all sizes and scope routinely profess a commitment to becoming indispensable partners of the restaurants, onsite operations, and other FAFH businesses on their client roster. The numbers show many of the customers are not ready to declare that mission has been accomplished.
Indeed, the research revealed that the typical operator relies on four distributors to fully meet their supply needs.
Yet the data also strongly showed that operators are okay with the current situation. About 79% of the respondents rated themselves extremely or very satisfied with their current set of distributors.
The operators also indicated that they’ve stuck with their current distributors for an average of 13.5 years.
Ambivalent relations between operator and distributor are hardly new. But the tenor of their interactions changed considerably during the pandemic. Some restaurateurs lauded their broadliners as heroes for keeping them supplied despite shortages of products ranging from drink lids to bacon. Others groused that they were forced to blaze new supply lines in short order just to stay in business.
The study goes so far as to provide a report card of sorts on the Big Four broadline distributors. Performance Food Group was rated highest in operator satisfaction, followed by Gordon Food Service, US Foods, and Sysco.
The service performance of alternate supply sources like club stores and cash-and-carry outlets was rated lower than all but Sysco.
The Role of the Distributor report was prepared by the research firm Datassential for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. It was based on a survey of 400 operators in August.
The report is the latest study to come from the association’s Consumer and Operator Research Group (CORG), a collaboration of operators and suppliers seeking insights on key issues facing the food-away-from-home business. Past topics have included the impact of GLP-1 appetite suppressants on menus; how operators determine what to add to their bills of fare; and what meal occasions are increasing or decreasing in popularity.
More information about the CORG reports is available via the association’s online store.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.