<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>                 This schedule  contains Summary  Financial  Information
                         extracted  from the Balance Sheet and Income  Statement
                         for the three  months ended June 25, 1997 for Fine Host
                         Corporation,  and  is  qualified  in  its  entirety  by
                         reference to such financial statements.

</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                             0001011584
<NAME>                                            FINE HOST CORPORATION   
<MULTIPLIER>                                      1,000
<CURRENCY>                                        US DOLLARS         
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                     6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                    DEC-26-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                      JUN-25-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                   1.00                    
<CASH>                                            16,110  
<SECURITIES>                                           0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     20,247
<ALLOWANCES>                                           0
<INVENTORY>                                        5,238
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                  46,481
<PP&E>                                            50,854
<DEPRECIATION>                                    19,852
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   159,829 
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                             26,088
<BONDS>                                                0 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                  0 
<PREFERRED>                                            0 
<COMMON>                                              90
<OTHER-SE>                                       108,780
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     159,829
<SALES>                                          102,844 
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 102,844
<CGS>                                             92,386
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                     98,331
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   828
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    3,685
<INCOME-TAX>                                       1,585
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                1,585
<DISCONTINUED>                                         0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                        0
<CHANGES>                                              0
<NET-INCOME>                                       1,585
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        .24
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        .24