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                                                                    EXHIBIT 12

                ARAMARK CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

             COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (A)

                                (In thousands)

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                                                              Fiscal Year Ended
                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 October 3,     September 27,      September 29,     September 30,      October 1,
                                   1997             1996               1995              1994              1993
                                 ----------     -------------      -------------     -------------      ----------

<S>                              <C>             <C>               <C>                <C>               <C> 
Income before income taxes
  and minority interest ......   $ 215,847        $ 179,159          $ 167,577         $ 163,484        $ 143,265
      Fixed charges, excluding                                                                              
         capitalized interest      163,404          160,740            152,991           150,432          168,158
      Other, net .............         (67)            (371)             1,502              (477)           1,222
                                 ---------        ---------          ---------         ---------        ---------
                                                                                                      
      Earnings, as adjusted ..   $ 379,184        $ 339,528          $ 322,070         $ 313,439        $ 312,645
                                 =========        =========          =========         =========        =========
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                      
Interest expense .............   $ 119,284        $ 117,856          $ 111,605         $ 110,040        $ 128,367
      Capitalized interest ...         223              414                 79                27               47
       Portion of operating lease                                                                          
        rentals representative                                                                        
        of interest factor ...      44,120           42,884             41,386            40,392           39,791
                                 ---------        ---------          ---------         ---------        ---------
                                                                                                      
      Fixed charges ..........   $ 163,627        $ 161,154          $ 153,070         $ 150,459        $ 168,205
                                 =========        =========          =========         =========        =========
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                      
Ratio of earnings to                                                                                  
  fixed charges ..............        2.3x             2.1x               2.1x              2.1x             1.9x
                                 =========        =========          =========         =========        =========
                                                                                                        
                                                                                              
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    (A)   For the purpose of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges,
          earnings include pre-tax income plus fixed charges (excluding
          capitalized interest). Fixed charges consist of interest on all
          indebtedness (including capitalized interest) plus that portion of
          operating lease rentals representative of the interest factor (deemed
          to be one-third of operating lease rentals).