During 1955 it is estimated that [xL percent of the purchases of 

 the principal fishery products made by public eating places were in frozen 

 form while only U3 percent were bought in the fresh (unfrozen form). The 

 remaining 6 percent were canned fishery products. Purchases of cxired fish 

 such as salted cod, piclcled herring, etc., were made but these were a 

 minor amoxxnt. Only 3.$ percent of the public eating places serving fish 

 and shellfish reported pui-chases of such items and a large part of this 

 group bought only small amounts. 



The eating place operator, faced with rising material and labor 

 costs, is now more than ever interested in buying at reasonable prices 

 fishery items that are nearly "ready to serve". But he wants to do this 

 and still give his customers what they want, namely, good quality fish 

 and shellfish. 



Purpose of Survey 



In a dynairdc, competitive econoir^r such as presently exists in 

 the United States, the fishing industry must of necessity constantly 

 work toward improving its old mai'kets and developing new markets if it 

 vjishes to maintain its competitive position. It needs to know which areas, 

 groups or segments of the nation are low in fish and shellfish consumption^ 

 what factors are limi.ting the consumption of fishery products in both the 

 home as well as "away from home"; and what fishing industry practices are 

 most in need of improvement. The research efforts of this project were 

 directed towards an attempt to answer some of these questions, with respect 

 to public eating places use of fish and shellfish. 



Specifically, the objective of this survey was to collect and 

 to develop information on the form , type and quantity of the various 

 species of fishery products purchased oy restaurants and other public 

 eating places during a representative one week survey period in M^ 1955. 



Other important objectives were, (1) to ascertain the factors 

 vjhich influence the use or non-use of the various forms of fish and shell- 

 fish by public eating places, (2) to determine the source of supply of 

 fishery products, prices and other characteristics of purchases, (3) to 

 obtain opinions as to preferences of respondents regarding quality of 

 fishery products purchased, methods of cooking, prices of servings, size 

 of portions, and comparative prices of fish and non-fish meals. 



SURVEY METHOD 



The field work for the nationiiide sample survey of public eating 

 places was conducted by the Bureau of the Census during the last two weeks 

 of May 1955. Owners or managers of U,630 establishments, representing 



