EXHIBIT 99.1

APPROVED BY:        Richard Kerley, Chief Executive Officer
                    Catherine B. James, Chief Financial Officer
                    (203) 629-4320

CONTACT:            Betsy Brod / Karen Kruza
                    Media Contact: Stan Froelich
                    Morgen-Walke Associates                       (212)850-5600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                       FINE HOST CORPORATION ANNOUNCES THE
           OFFERING OF $175 MILLION OF CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED NOTES


         Greenwich,  CT, October 22, 1997 - Fine Host Corporation (NASDAQ: FINE)
today  announced  that it has  agreed  to issue,  through  a  private  placement
pursuant to Rule 144A, $175 million in 5.0% Convertible  Subordinated  Notes due
2004. The Notes will be unsecured obligations of Fine Host,  subordinated to all
present and future senior  indebtedness  of Fine Host and are  convertible  into
common  stock of the  company at a  conversion  price of $44.50  per share.  The
Company has granted the initial  purchasers a 30-day option to purchase up to an
additional $25 million aggregate principal amount of Notes on the same terms and
conditions as set forth above, to cover over-allotments,  if any. The Notes have
registration rights. The sale of Notes is expected to close on October 27, 1997.

         The net  proceeds  from  the  sale of the  Notes  will be used to repay
approximately  $50  million  in  outstanding  bank  debt,   finance   additional
acquisitions, and general corporate purposes.

         The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended,  or any state  securities  laws and may not be  offered  or sold in the
United  States  or  any  state  thereof  absent  registration  or an  applicable
exemption from registration  requirements.  The Notes were offered in the United
States  only to  qualified  institutional  buyers  under  Rule 144A and  certain
institutional  accredited  investors  and outside  the United  States to certain
persons in reliance upon Regulation S under the Securities Act.

         This release contains  forward-looking  statements pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties which are described in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         Fine  Host  Corporation  provides  food  and  beverage  concession  and
catering  services to more than 900  facilities,  primarily  through  multi-year
contracts in the following  markets:  the recreation and leisure market (arenas,
stadiums,  amphitheaters,  civic centers and other recreational facilities); the
convention  center market;  the education  market  (colleges,  universities  and
elementary and secondary school nutrition programs);  the business dining market
(corporate  cafeterias,  office complexes and manufacturing  plants); the health
care market  (long-term  care  facilities and  hospitals);  and the  corrections
market (prisons and jails).