offpremise

Off-premise is an adjective and adverb used to describe activities, services, or locations that take place away from a business's main premises. It contrasts with on-premise or on-site usage, which occurs within the establishment's physical space. The term is common in hospitality, retail, advertising, and information technology, where the emphasis is on geographic separation from the center of operations.

In food service, off-premise typically refers to takeout, delivery, or catered events that are hosted at locations other than the restaurant. It also covers corporate or private catering. The distinction affects staffing, equipment, and licensing, and may require different safety practices or packaging to preserve food quality during transport.

In alcohol retail and licensing, off-premise denotes sales intended for consumption off the premises, such as supermarkets and liquor stores. By contrast, on-premise sales occur at bars or restaurants where customers drink on site. Advertising outside a business, such as billboards or transit ads, is also described as off-premise.

Outside of commerce, off-premise can describe services hosted away from a customer's site, such as cloud computing, off-premises backup, or other outsourced IT services. Spelling varies: off-premise, off-premises, or, less commonly, offpremise. The preferred form depends on regional style guides.