The September jobs report, delayed due to the government shutdown, showed the food services sector added more than 36,000 jobs for the month, more than any sector besides health care.

Consumers tend to be very sensitive to food costs. Fresh edibles like fruit, vegetables and meat saw substantial declines.

Consumers’ inflation expectations are falling. But they say the high prices imposed by inflation are still eroding living standards.

And grocery prices are fallling.

Sales at restaurants and bars were up around 25 percent from last year. Part of that is likely due to pent-up demand.