NAICS 722514: Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets
This U.S. industry comprises establishments, known as cafeterias, grill buffets, or buffets, primarily engaged in preparing and serving meals for immediate consumption using cafeteria-style or buffet serving equipment, such as steam tables, refrigerated areas, display grills, and self-service nonalcoholic beverage dispensing equipment. Patrons select from food and drink items on display in a continuous cafeteria line or from buffet stations. Cross-References. Establishments primarily engaged in--Show more
NAICS 722514 – Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets encompasses the operation of on-site food service facilities that provide self-service or limited-service meal options, typically featuring hot and cold buffet lines, grill stations, and standardized menu offerings. This sector supports institutional feeding programs within federal facilities, including military bases, correctional institutions, federal office complexes, and veterans’ centers.
Industry Spending Overview
Federal obligations, top contractors and agencies, and related industry codes for NAICS 722514.
AI Industry Description
NAICS 722514 – Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets encompasses the operation of on-site food service facilities that provide self-service or limited-service meal options, typically featuring hot and cold buffet lines, grill stations, and standardized menu offerings. This sector supports instituti...
NAICS 722514 – Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets encompasses the operation of on-site food service facilities that provide self-service or limited-service meal options, typically featuring hot and cold buffet lines, grill stations, and standardized menu offerings. This sector supports institutional feeding programs within federal facilities, including military bases, correctional institutions, federal office complexes, and veterans’ centers. These operations require strict adherence to USDA nutritional guidelines, food safety protocols such as HACCP, and compliance with federal procurement standards for institutional catering. While not a traditional IT or infrastructure category, this NAICS plays a critical role in sustaining workforce readiness and quality of life for federal personnel and beneficiaries, forming an essential component of the broader federal support services ecosystem. No contractor data is available for this NAICS code, indicating limited public visibility of prime contractors or a fragmented vendor base composed largely of small businesses and local food service providers. The competitive landscape is likely dominated by small disadvantaged businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and regional food service contractors with niche expertise in institutional dining. No agency data is available, but demand is presumed to originate from agencies managing large-scale, on-site feeding operations, including the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and General Services Administration. These entities prioritize consistent meal service, regulatory compliance, and cost-efficient operations over high-margin catering. The market context reflects low concentration and high operational complexity, with opportunities concentrated in locations requiring 24/7 or shift-based dining services. Contractors with experience in federal food service compliance, inventory automation, and nutritionally balanced menu planning are best positioned to compete. Procurement trends suggest a preference for long-term, task-order contracts with performance-based metrics tied to customer satisfaction and sanitation audits.
Small Business Size Standard
The SBA threshold that decides who can bid NAICS 722514 work as a small business.
The SBA cap for this NAICS (13 CFR 121.201). A business at or under it can self-certify as small for work in this code, which is what makes it eligible for a small-business set-aside. The cap is set per NAICS, so the same company can be small in one code and not in another.
13 CFR 121.201, effective January 1, 2026. The SBA revises the table roughly once a year.
Top Contractors
Companies with the highest total award value under NAICS 722514, ranked by dollars won.
| Company | Total Awards | Contracts |
|---|---|---|
| THE Q SHACK UNLIMITED CORP | $1.2M | 1 |
| FSS OKLAHOMA LLP | $243K | 1 |
| ALDEVRA LLC | $60K | 1 |
| MISCELLANEOUS FOREIGN AWARDEES | $28K | 1 |
| ACORN SERVICES INC | $25K | 1 |
| OTB ACQUISITION LLC | $16K | 1 |
| GREEN COUNTRY CORRAL, LLC | $11K | 1 |
| MET CAFE DC INC | $0 | 1 |
Top Agencies
Federal agencies directing the most contract spending toward NAICS 722514.
Competition
How many companies historically bid on federal awards in NAICS 722514, from bidder counts reported on USAspending.
Half or more of reported awards drew exactly one bidder, usually a sign of incumbent-held work rather than an open field. · 281 reported awards
Median Bidders
1
Per reported award, all-time
Single-Bid Awards
70%
Share of reported awards with one bidder
10+ Bidder Awards
1%
Share of reported awards with 10+ bidders
Reported Awards
281
94% of 300 total awards
Share of reported awards in each bidder-count bracket per federal fiscal year.
How this code compares up the NAICS hierarchy. Parent cohorts pool every code under their prefix, so they are the steadier baseline when a 6-digit sample is thin.
| Industry Family | Competition | Median Bidders | Single-Bid | Bidder Mix | Reported Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
722514This Code Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 70% | 28194% of 300 | |
72251NAICS Industry | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 67% | 95588% of 1,082 | |
7225Industry Group Restaurants and Other Eating Places | Usually Single-Bid | 1 | 67% | 95588% of 1,082 | |
722Subsector | Fewer Bidders | 2 | 33% | 93,71690% of 104,452 | |
72Sector Accommodation and Food Services | Fewer Bidders | 2 | 39% | 287,43389% of 321,827 |
Bidder counts reported on past federal awards in this NAICS (USAspending). An open opportunity has no bidders yet, so this is the historical norm for similar work, not a fact about this solicitation. Not all awards report bidder counts, and fewer bidders often means incumbent-held work rather than an easier win. Federal reporting of bidder counts fell from ~96% of awards (FY2016) to ~30% (FY2018 onward); the chart shows shares of reported awards, and washed-out stretches mark years with fewer than 30 of them.
Related NAICS Codes
Industries similar to Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets, by shared sector, subsector, and industry group.
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