Special Food Services

Businesses and organizations in the Special Food Services industry (NAICS code 7223, part of the Accommodation and Food Services sector) received 147,765 PPP loans totaling $5.46B during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The average loan for this industry was $36,933 — below the national PPP average of approximately $67,000. This reflects the small business character of most participants in this industry, typically sole proprietors and micro-businesses with modest payroll obligations.

78.8% of loans in this industry were forgiven — totaling $4.67B. To qualify for forgiveness, borrowers had to demonstrate that they maintained headcount and compensation levels and used at least 60% of loan proceeds for payroll expenses.

Notable recipients in this industry include METZ CULINARY MANAGEMENT INC of DALLAS, PA ($10,000,000); NUTRITION INC of IRWIN, PA ($10,000,000); and AVI FOODSYSTEMS INC. of WARREN, OH ($10,000,000).

The loan amount distribution for this industry shows a more even spread across loan sizes, suggesting a mix of small and mid-sized businesses. Because borrower names are withheld for loans under $150,000, a substantial portion of recipients in this industry may not appear by name in this dataset.

As part of the broader Accommodation and Food Services sector — hotels, motels, restaurants, bars, food service contractors, and caterers. — businesses in NAICS 7223 were particularly impacted by the pandemic-era shutdowns and capacity restrictions that drove many businesses to apply for emergency relief.