What’s on school foodservice operators’ minds? Which restaurant chains are considered smart growing brands? How will the U.S. economy fare in 2026? Answers to these questions and more, This Week in Foodservice.

During the course of a year, school foodservice operations stop working for weeks to months at a time. That doesn’t mean the kitchen should shut down completely, as well.

A pre-K-12 school boasting a 100% college acceptance rate, Lamar School in Meridian, Miss., needed a new dining operation to support its growing enrollment. The original cafeteria and kitchen were built in the 1990s to serve 400 students and faculty. The student body has grown to 658 students, and the staff totals more than 90.

With students across the country returning to school this month, the time seemed right to check in on K-12 and collegiate foodservice to see what challenges today’s operators face and identify some potential solutions.

IRINOX Professional North America hired Darcy Frawley to serve as business development specialist for the K-12 market.

Changes in college and school foodservice continue to mirror the evolution of other noncommercial segments, including corporate feeding.

The School Nutrition Association introduced Stephanie Dillard, MS, SNS, as its president for the 2025-26 School Year. Dillard also serves as child nutrition director for Enterprise City Schools in Alabama.

In a move to support its plans to expand on a national level, California-based consulting firm Webb Foodservice Design added Kris Morphis as an associate principal.

Contract feeder Elior North America has re-branded its three education-focused divisions.

Sales among the top 100 foodservice equipment and supplies dealers totaled $15.74 billion in 2024, which is up 3.84% from 2023, according to the FE&S 2025 Distribution Giants study. Among the dealers reporting their sales data, 53% showed an increase in revenue while 47% showed a decline

When Khyla Dixon, regional marketing manager for K-12 by Elior, was tasked with improving breakfast participation at the 1,800-student Oak Lawn Community High School in Chicago’s south suburbs, the challenge was clear: Meet the students where they’re at.

Five foodservice operators from five different segments tackle questions ranging from the changing expectations of customers and management to technology’s impact on design.

It had been 20 years since a new high school was built in Lincoln, Neb., so when Lincoln Public Schools’ (LPS) student enrollment grew 18% from 2010 to 2020, it became necessary to build two new high schools on the outskirts of the city.

Daniel Cavallo, B&G Restaurant Supply

Everything, Everywhere, All Day Long

Custom serving solutions can encompass a variety of equipment, but common items include serving/buffet equipment, underbar/undercounter refrigeration, and hot and cold food wells.

Aurora Public Schools sees an increase in participation, decrease in students leaving campus since drive-thru launch.

College and K-12 school campuses continue to reimagine foodservice operations.

Here, ways the sustainability needle continues to move in support of greener menus and back-of-the-house operations.

The momentum behind all-electric kitchens grows, but it’s no simple switch.

Budget, ROI and thinking through operational aspects all come into play when considering environmentally friendly equipment specifications.

Schools reassess menus and equipment packages, plus take a closer look at from-scratch cooking.

High school teams from Plymouth Canton Educational Park in Canton, Mich., and Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Conn., were the winners of the Culinary Competition and the Management Competition at the 2023 National ProStart Invitational.

Jonathan Nikiel, project leader at Reitano Design Group, admits that on the surface, school foodservice might not be as glamorous as other projects that often come with higher profiles and bigger budgets.

Genuine, down to earth, positive, mission driven and compassionate — these are but a few words friends and colleagues use to describe Shannon Solomon. She’s also known for being a servant leader and cheerleader for her school nutrition team at Aurora Public Schools (APS) in Colorado. Solomon wants her team to be the best at whatever they want for themselves. Her leadership approach is straightforward: Hold others accountable with consistency, support, training and love.

Forward momentum on the school foodservice agenda continues to play out.

Some schools have the luxury of serving food to just one group of students — elementary, middle or high schoolers. In smaller communities, however, schools often have to serve students of all ages. That requires an efficient, organized kitchen to handle differing age groups and tastes on a daily basis.

Many of you might have heard about the WELL AP certification and building standard program but might have more questions about it, especially as more companies today prioritize the health and wellness of their workers.

Walking into Downers Grove North High School (DGN) in Downers Grove, Ill., it’s easy to mistake the environment for a college campus. Skylights welcome in natural light, and large, open community spaces support students, faculty and staff.

Contract feeder Aramark has changed the name of its K-12 school foodservice operation to Aramark Student Nutrition.