EXHIBIT 24.1


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  Officers  and
Directors  of Sodexho  Marriott  Services,  Inc.,  a Delaware  corporation  (the
"Corporation"),  hereby  constitute  and appoint  Michel  Landel,  John Bush and
Robert  A.  Stern,   and  each  of  them,   the  true  and  lawful   agents  and
attorneys-in-fact  of the  undersigned  with full  power and  authority  in said
agents and  attorneys-in-fact,  and in any one or more of them,  to sign for the
undersigned  and in their  respective  names as Officers and as Directors of the
Corporation,  a Registration  Statement on Form S-8 (or other  appropriate form)
relating to the proposed issuance of Common Stock and other securities  pursuant
to employee  options  under the  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan (or any and all
amendments, including post-effective amendments, to such Registration Statement)
and file the same,  with all exhibits  thereto and other documents in connection
therewith,  with the Securities and Exchange Commission,  and with full power of
substitution;   hereby   ratifying  and   confirming   all  that  each  of  said
attorneys-in-fact,  or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the date indicated.




SIGNATURE                                                     TITLE                                        DATE
- ---------                                                     -----                                        ----

                                                                                                

/S/ MICHEL LANDEL                             President and Chief Executive Officer                   April 19, 2000
- ---------------------------------                 (Principal Executive Officer)
Michel Landel

/S/ JOHN BUSH                                       Senior Vice President and                         April 19, 2000
- ---------------------------------                  Chief Financial Officer and
John Bush                                        Acting Chief Accounting Officer
                                                  (Principal Financial Officer)


/S/ DANIEL J. ALTOBELLO
- ---------------------------------
Daniel J. Altobello
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000
/S/ PIERRE BELLON
- ---------------------------------
Pierre Bellon
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000
/S/ BERNARD CARTON
- ---------------------------------
Bernard Carton
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000
/S/ DOCTOR R. CRANTS
- ---------------------------------
Doctor R. Crants
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000
/S/ EDOUARD DE ROYERE
- ---------------------------------
Edouard de Royere
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000









                                                                                                

/S/ JOHN W. MARRIOTT III
- ---------------------------------
John W. Marriott III
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000
/S/ WILLIAM J. SHAW
- ---------------------------------
William J. Shaw
                                                             Director                                 April 19, 2000




Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Sodexho Marriott
Services  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan  has  duly  caused  this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized in the City of  Gaithersburg,  State of Maryland,  on the 19th day of
April, 2000.


                                                SODEXHO MARRIOTT SERVICES
                                                EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                                                BY:   /S/ OLLIE LAWRENCE, JR.
                                                   -----------------------------

                                                NAME:  OLLIE LAWRENCE, JR.
                                                     ---------------------------

                                                TITLE: PLAN ADMINISTRATOR
                                                      --------------------------