A food hall is a curated communal dining destination built around multiple usually independent kitchens, while a traditional mall food court is a shopping-centre amenity where food outlets or kiosks share seating. They can look similar, and a food hall can operate inside a mall, but the purpose, vendor mix, identity and programming usually separate the formats.
The simplest test is why people visit. If eating, exploring different kitchens and spending time in the social setting are the main reasons to go, the venue is closer to a food hall. If eating is mainly a convenient break during a shopping trip, it is closer to a conventional food court.
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What is a food hall?
The Food Halls Association defines a food hall as “a curated marketplace of independent kitchens.” In practice, that means several food and beverage concepts are selected to operate under one roof and are designed to work together as a destination. Vendors are often chef-led, local, artisanal or otherwise differentiated rather than interchangeable counters.
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A modern food hall normally combines freshly prepared food with a communal environment. Diners may order from separate counters, collect their dishes themselves and bring everything to shared tables. A central bar or other beverage anchor is common, and the menu is intentionally broad enough for people in the same group to choose different cuisines.
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Food halls also tend to express a local identity. The Food Halls Association describes them as places that reflect local culture and emerging culinary trends. Cushman & Wakefield’s Food Halls of Europe report characterizes the modern template as “diverse freshly-prepared authentic food and drink, enjoyed communally!” That emphasis on authenticity and shared experience distinguishes the concept from a room that simply gathers fast-food counters.
Core features of the format
- Curated tenants: An operator selects a mix of kitchens and beverage businesses so the offers complement one another instead of duplicating the same menu.
- Independent or chef-led concepts: Local operators, emerging chefs and specialist producers are common, although a food hall can include larger businesses too.
- Communal seating: Tables and social zones are shared across vendors, allowing one group to combine dishes from multiple counters.
- Food-led destination: The venue is intended to attract visits specifically for eating, discovery and socializing.
- Programming: Events, tastings, pop-ups, seasonal concepts and beverage activities may give people reasons to return beyond a single meal.
- Flexible ordering: Individual-counter ordering and self-service pickup are common. Some halls also add shared digital ordering or other systems, but no single technology defines the category.
There is no universal legal or industry definition. A venue may call itself a market, food hall or food court, and the same building can combine elements of several formats. Its operating characteristics and purpose are more reliable than the sign above the entrance.
What is a mall food court?
HM Revenue & Customs and the Valuation Office Agency define a food court as “a cluster of outlets or kiosks selling a variety of food and drink for immediate consumption in a defined area of the centre.” The outlets are arranged around communal seating or nearby designated seating. This is a formal property-guidance definition rather than a consumer dictionary entry, but it captures the physical model used in many shopping centres.
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Recognizable quick-service and chain-style offers are common because shoppers expect speed, familiar menus and predictable prices. That pattern is not a requirement: some newer retail developments use independent operators, upgraded interiors or more varied menus while retaining the food-court operating role.
How a conventional court normally works
- Each outlet has its own counter, menu and payment process.
- Customers take food to seating shared by the court or located immediately nearby.
- Service is optimized for relatively quick meals during a shopping, cinema or errand visit.
- The landlord or shopping-centre operator controls the common area, while individual tenants run their outlets.
- Leasing, seating and operating arrangements can vary; the government guidance documents more than one model.
Food hall versus mall food court: the practical differences
The two formats overlap physically, so compare their operating logic rather than relying on décor or branding.
| Axis | Food hall | Traditional mall food court |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Food and social experience is often the destination. | Supports shopping and provides a convenient meal break. |
| Vendor mix | Curated independent, local, chef-led or artisanal concepts are typical. | Recognizable quick-service or chain-style outlets are common. |
| Identity | Local culture, experimentation and distinctive concepts are emphasized. | Predictability, speed and convenience are emphasized. |
| Layout | Communal seating and social zones, often with a central bar or beverage anchor. | Counters or kiosks arranged around shared or nearby seating. |
| Service | Separate counters and self-service pickup are common; diners may mix dishes from several kitchens. | Counter service and shared seating are standard. |
| Programming | Events, tastings, beverage programs and rotating vendors may be part of the offer. | Usually focused on steady meal service rather than recurring food-led events. |
| Best reader test | Would people visit primarily to eat, explore and spend time there? | Is eating mainly a convenient part of a shopping trip? |
Is a food hall just a fancy food court?
Sometimes the distinction is mostly a matter of degree, but “fancy” is not the deciding factor. An expensive food court with attractive furniture can still be a food court if its primary role is to serve shoppers with standardized, convenience-oriented outlets. Conversely, a modestly decorated venue can function as a food hall if it has a deliberately curated group of independent kitchens, communal dining and a food-led reason to visit.
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Atmosphere and programming provide additional evidence. Regular events, rotating stalls, chef collaborations or a beverage programme indicate that the venue is being managed as an experience rather than only as a collection of leases. These features are signals, not mandatory requirements; no single item creates a universal definition.
Can a food hall be inside a mall?
Yes. A food hall can occupy part of a shopping centre, mixed-use development, market building, transit hub or standalone property. Its location does not determine its category. A mall may replace a conventional court with a food-hall-style project to create a stronger destination, but changing the name alone does not change how the venue operates.
JLL cautioned in 2019 that developers can misunderstand what makes food halls different from traditional mall food courts. The relevant questions are whether the tenant mix fits the surrounding community, whether the offer has genuine quality and variety, and whether the space creates an experience people will seek out. A hall inside a mall can still be food-led; a mall court with independent tenants can still function mainly as a shopping amenity.
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- Who operates the kitchens? Look for independent, local or chef-led businesses rather than only standardized outlets.
- Would you make a special trip? If the answer is yes because of the food and atmosphere, the destination model is stronger.
- Can a group mix orders? Shared seating and the ability to combine dishes from multiple counters are characteristic of hall-style dining.
- Is there activity beyond lunch and dinner? Events, tastings, pop-ups and rotating concepts suggest ongoing programming.
- What does the surrounding development expect? If the space is primarily positioned as a quick stop between shops, it may remain a food court despite upgraded finishes.
Why the distinction matters to diners
Choosing a place for speed
A conventional food court is often the safer choice when everyone needs a familiar meal quickly, when seating turnover matters or when the venue is being used as part of a shopping itinerary. Its standardized offers can make ordering and dietary expectations more predictable, although menus and service times still vary by tenant.
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Choosing a place for variety and discovery
A food hall is better suited to groups with different tastes or to diners who want to sample several concepts in one visit. Shared tables make it possible for one person to order noodles, another to choose a sandwich and a third to buy a dessert without splitting the group across separate restaurants.
Planning for the experience
Hall-style venues may be busiest during events or at peak meal times, and ordering from several counters can take longer than buying one standardized meal. In exchange, diners may get more distinctive food, a stronger sense of place and reasons to return for changing vendors or programming. These are typical format differences, not guarantees about every individual venue.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the distinction matters to developers and operators
A food hall requires more than a row of food leases. The operator must curate a balanced tenant mix, coordinate shared seating and common services, and maintain a reason for customers to visit even when they are not already shopping nearby. Local fit is critical: a concept that succeeds in one neighbourhood may not match another community’s tastes, spending patterns or daily schedule.
Traditional courts prioritize dependable throughput and convenience. Their familiar tenants can make leasing and customer expectations more straightforward, while a hall’s independent operators may create stronger identity but require closer coordination. The choice is therefore an operating and development decision, not simply an interior-design upgrade.
ICSC, quoting Cushman & Wakefield, summarized the development lesson this way: “Successful projects will emphasize constituency, quality and sourcing, rather than big-box predictability.” In plain language, a hall must know whom it is serving and why its food is worth a dedicated visit.
How many food halls are there?
Published counts differ because organizations use different definitions, locations and reporting dates. They should not be combined into one growth rate.
| Source and date | Reported figure | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Cushman & Wakefield research reported by ICSC, 2016 and projection for 2020 | Roughly 120 U.S. food-hall projects in 2016, with 450 expected by the end of 2020. | A historical estimate and forecast using that report’s definition; the projection is not a later census. |
| Food Halls Association, 2019 and 2023 | 220 U.S. food halls in 2019 and approximately 360 by 2023, described as a 55% increase over four years. | The association’s figures; its page does not provide methodology, so treat them as self-reported industry counts rather than an official census. |
The different totals do not necessarily conflict. A project may be counted or excluded depending on whether the source includes markets, hybrid mall venues, planned developments or only operating halls. Always attach the organization and year to a figure.
A quick classification checklist
When a venue’s label is unclear, score the evidence instead of arguing over terminology. The more “yes” answers in the first list, the closer it is to a food hall; the more in the second, the closer it is to a traditional court.
Signs of a food hall
- Several independent, local, chef-led or artisanal kitchens are deliberately mixed.
- Communal seating is central to the design, not merely leftover space between counters.
- The venue promotes local identity, experimentation or changing concepts.
- A bar, coffee programme or other beverage anchor supports social visits.
- Events, tastings, pop-ups or rotating vendors are part of the operating plan.
- Customers visit specifically for the food and atmosphere.
Signs of a traditional food court
- The space is primarily an amenity for shoppers or other visitors to a larger centre.
- Most outlets use standardized, familiar quick-service formats.
- Menus and service are designed mainly for speed and convenience.
- Programming beyond ordinary meal service is limited or absent.
- The venue would lose much of its purpose if the surrounding shopping activity disappeared.
Mixed answers indicate a hybrid. That is normal: the categories describe a spectrum, and many contemporary projects intentionally combine them.
Bottom line
A food hall is a curated, communal, food-led destination; a mall food court is a defined cluster of outlets that primarily supports shopping with convenient meals. Independent kitchens, local identity, shared social design, beverage and event programming, and the reason people visit are more useful tests than the label. Because malls can host genuine food halls and courts can adopt hall-like features, classify the venue by how it is curated and used—not by its name alone.
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