<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>      This schedule  contains summary financial  information  extracted
              from the Consolidated Balance  Sheet and  Consolidated  Statement
              of Operations of the Company as of and for the three months ended
              April 1, 1998 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to
              such statements.

</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                        0001011584
<NAME>                                       FINE HOST CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                 1,000
<CURRENCY>                                   US DOLLARS
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                            DEC-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                               JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                 APR-01-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                              1.00
<CASH>                                      103,335
<SECURITIES>                                      0
<RECEIVABLES>                                34,746
<ALLOWANCES>                                  1,230
<INVENTORY>                                   6,234
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                            145,157
<PP&E>                                       37,702
<DEPRECIATION>                               13,054
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              286,884
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                        49,015
<BONDS>                                           0
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<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                286,884
<SALES>                                      84,996
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             84,996
<CGS>                                        77,979
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                86,539
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                              4,932
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                174
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            1,041
<INCOME-PRETAX>                              (7,690)
<INCOME-TAX>                                     40
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                          (7,730)
<DISCONTINUED>                                    0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                   0
<CHANGES>                                         0
<NET-INCOME>                                 (7,730)
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