Dig Into These 50 Restaurant Industry Statistics

Rising food costs and digital menus and third-party deliveries, oh my!

The restaurant industry has always been fast-paced, but especially nowadays, factors like high inventory costs and emerging technologies are changing the game. The best way to stay on top of it all? Getting insights and trends with these restaurant industry statistics:

• General restaurant industry statistics
• Restaurant industry outlook statistics
• Restaurant marketing statistics
• Restaurant technology statistics
• Restaurant customer behavior statistics
• Restaurant owner statistics

Keep reading to learn 50 restaurant industry statistics covering everything you need to know. Then, subscribe to our email newsletters for industry and marketing insights sent straight to your inbox to keep you on-trend and in-the-know!

General restaurant industry statistics

First, let’s talk about the current state of the restaurant industry through the following general stats:

1. $1 trillion in sales is forecasted for the food service industry
2. 15.5 million people work in the restaurant industry in the U.S.
3. Over 1 million restaurant locations are in the U.S.
4. 300% is the growth rate of digital ordering
5. 67% of adults have had a job in the restaurant industry at some point in their careers
6. 13% is the average profit margin of larger restaurants that seat more than 150 diners
7. 10% is the average profit margin for restaurants
8. 4.4% is how much restaurant industry sales have increased since 2022
9. 9 out of 10 restaurants have 50 or fewer employees

Restaurant industry outlook statistics

Now that we know where the industry currently sits, where does it go from here? Find out with these restaurant industry outlook stats:

10. 15.7 million is the expected number of total industry employment by the end of 2024
11. 200,000 restaurant jobs are expected to open up by the end of 2024
12. 98% of restaurant operators say higher labor costs are an issue for their restaurant
13. 97% of restaurant operators say higher food costs are an issue for their restaurant
14. Nearly 50% of consumers are value conscious when it comes to spending on things like dining out
15. 45% of restaurant owners expect competition to be more intense in the coming year
16. 38% of restaurant operators say their restaurants were not profitable last year

Restaurant marketing statistics

Marketing your restaurant is crucial to attracting hungry new customers. If you’re not already using it, you could be a few steps behind your competitors. See how restaurateurs are currently marketing their business and how consumers are finding new food spots with these restaurant marketing stats:

17. 94% of consumers read comments and reviews online through platforms like Yelp and TripAdvisor
18. 90% of diners look up a restaurant online before visiting
19. 81% of restaurateurs use Facebook to promote their business
20. 80% of consumers say they watch restaurant-related video content online
21. 80% of customers expect restaurant brands to have a social media presence and interact with them
22. 72% of operators have a website for their restaurant
23. 70% of customers say they are more likely to visit a restaurant with personalized promotions
24. Roughly 66% of restaurant owners spend money on their social media marketing efforts
25. 55% of restaurateurs use TikTok to promote their business
26. Nearly 45% of restaurateurs use Instagram to promote their business
27. 39% of Americans have used Google in the last three months to look for restaurant information and recommendations
28. 28% of Gen Z diners rely on social media for restaurant recommendations

Restaurant technology statistics

We’ve gone from paper menus to simply viewing them on our phones — see how the industry is adopting tech with the following restaurant technology statistics:

29. 80% of delivery customers say they would order delivery using a smartphone app
30. 76% of restaurant operators say using technology gives them a competitive edge
31. 70% of limited-service customers say they would be likely to place an order using a smartphone app
32. 70% of adults look for deals when ordering takeout, deliver, or dining in a restaurant
33. 49% of restaurant operators report using at least one or two digital ordering platforms
34. 41% of restaurant operators report using three to four digital ordering platforms
35. Over 40% of restaurant operators want to buy or invest in technology that will increase overall productivity

Restaurant customer behavior statistics

How do diners feel about all of these changes to the restaurant industry? Find out through some insightful customer behavior stats:

36. 90% of adults say they enjoy going to restaurants
37. 48% of diners believe ordering directly from a restaurant’s website saves money, as opposed to third-party delivery services
38. 29% of diners eat out at least once a week
39. 20% more money is spent by Americans at restaurants than those at grocery stores
40. 19% more money is spent by men on dining out than women in the U.S.
41. 11% of diners say they never eat out at restaurants
42. On average, $166 is spent per month, per person, on dining out in the U.S.

Restaurant owner statistics

Finally, let’s talk about the people behind the restaurants — the owners and operators that keep them running:

43. 90% of restaurant managers started in entry-level positions
44. 80% of restaurant managers worked their way up
45. 54% of restaurant owners in the U.S. are men
46. 49% of restaurant owners hold a bachelor’s degree
47. 45% of restaurant owners in the U.S. are women
48. 44% of restaurant operators noted the challenges they face are due to rising food costs
49. 41% of restaurants have minority owners, the most in any industry
50. 6% of restaurant owners hold a master’s degree

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Are you ready to take your marketing strategy to new heights? If these restaurant industry stats have inspired you, we can help! 

At WebFX, our expert team analyzes industry trends to offer you fully custom restaurant marketing services that optimize everything from your website to your social media platforms.

Get started with WebFX today! Call us at 888-601-5359 or contact us online now.

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