NACE 56.1 – Restaurants and Mobile Food Service Activities | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 56.1 covers the economic activity of restaurants, food service establishments, snack bars, fast-food outlets and similar operations that provide prepared meals and beverages for consumption on the premises or to take away. In public procurement, these services are primarily relevant for awarding the operation of canteens, university refectories and staff restaurants in public authorities, schools and public institutions.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 56.1 cover?

NACE 56.1 (Restaurants and mobile food service activities) classifies food service operations that provide full meals and beverages for immediate consumption — a segment shaped in the public sector primarily by the operation of staff catering facilities in public authorities and institutions.

Group 56.1 within Section I (Accommodation and food service activities) and Division 56 (Food and beverage service activities) covers various types of operation:

Public contracting authorities under NACE 56.1 are federal authorities, ministries, police and military, universities and higher education institutions (via student services), school authorities and hospitals and care facilities in public ownership.

Public Tenders: Activities under NACE 56.1

The operation of canteens and staff restaurants in public institutions is a high-volume procurement segment — canteen operating services are frequently tendered as overall packages under multi-year contracts.

Typical types of contract

• Canteen operation in public authorities: Operation of staff restaurants in ministries, federal authorities and regional authorities — frequently as a concession or service contract with defined quality and price standards
• University refectory operation: Student services organisations tender the operation of refectories and cafeterias; the scope covers lunchtime catering, breakfast offerings and evening opening hours
• School canteen operation: Municipal school authorities award the operation of school canteens with defined nutritional standards (e.g. DGE quality standards) and social pricing tiers
• Military canteens and officers' mess operation: The Bundeswehr and other security authorities award troop catering and mess operation to catering companies
• Police and judicial canteens: Regional authorities operate catering facilities for enforcement officers and judicial staff
• Parliamentary restaurants: Operation of restaurants in parliamentary buildings, often with special representational requirements

Thresholds and procedure types

Canteen operating services may be classified as service contracts or services concessions, depending on the contractual arrangement. Where the operator bears the economic risk (revenues from guest payments), there is a concession (threshold: EUR 5,538,000). Where the contractor is guaranteed revenues or paid a fixed amount, it is a service contract (threshold: EUR 221,000).

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 56.1

CPV codes enable targeted searches for canteen and restaurant services in the public sector on European and national procurement platforms.

Current tenders with these CPV codes can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) as well as on national procurement platforms.

For whom is NACE 56.1 relevant in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

In Germany, student services organisations are the most significant contracting authorities for refectory operation; they are subject to state supervision and as bodies governed by public law are bound by public procurement law. The Bundeswehr awards extensive catering and canteen operating services through the Bundeswehr catering company (BwVerpfleg). In Austria, the Austrian Students' Union (ÖH) and higher education institutions award refectory services; federal authorities partly coordinate canteen operation through the federal real estate company (BIG).

Companies and bidders

Catering companies and contract caterers applying for public canteen operating tenders typically have to meet the following requirements:

• Food hygiene: HACCP certifications, official approvals, regular hygiene audits
• Nutritional standards: Compliance with quality standards such as DGE catering standards for schools, hospitals or businesses
• Staff qualification: Trained kitchen and service staff, evidence of food protection training
• Price transparency and costing evidence: Disclosure of costing bases for subsidised service contracts
• Sustainability requirements: Organic content, regionality, seasonality, food waste reduction as award criteria
• Social standards: Compliance with collective bargaining loyalty and minimum wage requirements under regional collective bargaining acts

Frequently asked questions about NACE 56.1 and public tenders

What distinguishes NACE 56.1 from NACE 56.2 (catering)?
NACE 56.1 covers operations that offer meals for consumption on the premises (in the restaurant or canteen). NACE 56.2 covers external catering service providers that provide meals elsewhere (e.g. school meal delivery, hospital catering by external providers).

Is a canteen operation always a concession or a service contract?
The distinction depends on the individual case. What is decisive is whether the contractor bears the operating risk (concession) or receives remuneration independent of guest numbers (service contract). Mixed forms (partial concessions) often occur in practice.

Which certifications are particularly relevant for canteen operating tenders?
ISO 22000 (food safety management system), HACCP certification and DIN standards for large-scale kitchens are common. Sustainability labels such as organic certifications (e.g. DE-ÖKO-007) are increasingly taken into account as award criteria.

Can smaller catering operations participate in canteen tenders?
Yes, particularly for smaller institutions or sites. Bidding consortia make it possible to compensate for missing capacity by joining forces. Splitting into lots by location makes it easier for regional operations to participate.

NACE 56.1 in context: Section I and Division 56

• NACE I – Accommodation and food service activities: Parent section covering all accommodation and food service activities
• NACE 56 – Food and beverage service activities: Division covering all catering services
• NACE 56.2 – Event catering and other food service activities: School catering, hospital catering, external caterers
• NACE 56.3 – Beverage serving activities: Bars, cafés, canteen management
• NACE 55.1 – Hotels and similar accommodation: Accommodation with catering services

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.