This article investigates how the COVID‐19 pandemic and related public health measures affected the consumption of food away from home (FAFH) among Chinese consumers. We obtained access to the complete sales records from a major restaurant chain in China, for 111 sites located in 12 cities, covering over 5.6 million high‐frequency dining transactions made between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020. By applying a high‐dimensional fixed‐effects model, we found that, on average, consumers spent more and ordered more calories (as well as carbohydrates, protein, fat, and sodium) after the COVID‐19 outbreak than in the pre‐COVID‐19 period. Our results do not support the hypothesis that COVID‐19 led to healthier eating behaviors during and after the pandemic. Our results underline the importance of nutrition education and awareness programs to mitigate unhealthy eating habits generated by the pandemic and of the continued role of FAFH after the pandemic.
The COVID‐19 Pandemic and Consumption of Food away from Home: Evidence from High‐frequency Restaurant Transaction Data