Food away from home price history from 1984 through 2020

Food Away From Home Inflation Calculator

Prices for Food Away From Home, 1984-2020 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food away from home were 178.97% higher in 2020 versus 1984 (a $35.79 difference in value).

Between 1984 and 2020: Food away from home experienced an average inflation rate of 2.89% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, food away from home costing $20 in the year 1984 would cost $55.79 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.56% during this same period, inflation for food away from home was higher.

Price Inflation for Food away from home since 1984

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1990 (4.71%), 1989 (4.63%), and 2008 (4.41%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food away from home:

Year	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
CPI	104.233	108.333	112.533	117.033	121.767	127.400	133.400	137.900	140.700	143.233	145.667	148.967	152.667	157.000	161.067	165.100	169.000	173.867	178.300	182.100	187.500	193.433	199.400	206.659	215.769	223.272	226.114	231.401	237.986	243.068	248.981	256.101	262.695	268.826	275.893	284.410	290.784

View price changes for other categories
Wireless telephone services · Bananas · Milk · Housing · More

Buying power of $20 since 1984

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food away from home, over time, for $20 beginning in 1984. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1984	$20.00	-
1985	$20.79	3.93%
1986	$21.59	3.88%
1987	$22.46	4.00%
1988	$23.36	4.04%
1989	$24.45	4.63%
1990	$25.60	4.71%
1991	$26.46	3.37%
1992	$27.00	2.03%
1993	$27.48	1.80%
1994	$27.95	1.70%
1995	$28.58	2.27%
1996	$29.29	2.48%
1997	$30.12	2.84%
1998	$30.91	2.59%
1999	$31.68	2.50%
2000	$32.43	2.36%
2001	$33.36	2.88%
2002	$34.21	2.55%
2003	$34.94	2.13%
2004	$35.98	2.97%
2005	$37.12	3.16%
2006	$38.26	3.08%
2007	$39.65	3.64%
2008	$41.40	4.41%
2009	$42.84	3.48%
2010	$43.39	1.27%
2011	$44.40	2.34%
2012	$45.66	2.85%
2013	$46.64	2.14%
2014	$47.77	2.43%
2015	$49.14	2.86%
2016	$50.41	2.57%
2017	$51.58	2.33%
2018	$52.94	2.63%
2019	$54.57	3.09%
2020	$55.79	2.24%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for food away from home, 1984-2020

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2020 / CPI in 1984 * 1984 USD value = 2020 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Food away from home was 104.233 in the year 1984 and 290.784 in 2020:

290.784 / 104.233 * $20 = $55.79

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1984 has the same "purchasing power" as $55.79 in 2020 (in the CPI category of Food away from home).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Food away from home in 1984. In addition to food away from home, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.