<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>   
      This schedule  contains summary financial  information  extracted from the
Consolidated  Balance Sheet and Statement of Consolidated  Income of the Company
as of and for the six months ended July 1, 1998 and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0001011584
<NAME>                        Fine Host Corporation
<MULTIPLIER>                  1,000
<CURRENCY>                    USD
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>             DEC-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                  JUL-01-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>               1
<CASH>                         80,612
<SECURITIES>                        0
<RECEIVABLES>                  34,140
<ALLOWANCES>                    1,438
<INVENTORY>                     5,461
<CURRENT-ASSETS>              121,575
<PP&E>                         37,776
<DEPRECIATION>                 15,453
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                265,360
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>          42,600
<BONDS>                             0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>               0
<PREFERRED>                         0
<COMMON>                           91
<OTHER-SE>                     43,861
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>  265,360
<SALES>                       159,269
<TOTAL-REVENUES>              159,269
<CGS>                         147,601
<TOTAL-COSTS>                 164,461
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                7,457
<LOSS-PROVISION>                6,636
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>              2,147
<INCOME-PRETAX>               (21,432)
<INCOME-TAX>                       80
<INCOME-CONTINUING>           (21,512)
<DISCONTINUED>                      0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                     0
<CHANGES>                           0
<NET-INCOME>                  (21,512)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                   (2.38)
<EPS-DILUTED>                   (2.38)