<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
consolidated  balance sheets and  consolidated  statements of income on pages 22
and 23 of the Company's 1999 Annual Report to  Stockholders  and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>            0001007507
<NAME>           Morrison Management Specialists, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              MAY-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 JUN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAY-31-1999
<CASH>                                           2,780
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   28,516
<ALLOWANCES>                                       712
<INVENTORY>                                      2,940
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                43,814
<PP&E>                                          30,975
<DEPRECIATION>                                  12,376
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 102,927
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           28,144
<BONDS>                                         49,305
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                           120
<OTHER-SE>                                      14,443
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   102,927
<SALES>                                        324,968
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               324,968
<CGS>                                          270,637
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  270,637
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               2,754
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 22,197
<INCOME-TAX>                                     8,657
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             13,540
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    13,540
<EPS-BASIC>                                     1.14
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.12