“Know your numbers.” As a restaurant owner, perhaps you’ve heard this saying before. To run your business successfully, you need to be familiar with not only your own finances, but also other important numbers like restaurant industry statistics. This kind of information gives you key insight into the broader context of the industry and a benchmark to gauge your own success.
Being familiar with current restaurant statistics can help you better understand the shifts in the industry – including changing guest behavior – and enable you to keep up to date on the latest trends, so you can stay ahead of your competition.
In this article, we’ll present 81 restaurant industry statistics for 2023 from various TouchBistro reports, including:
- Restaurant sales statistics
- Restaurant menu statistics
- Restaurant labor statistics
- Restaurant marketing statistics
- Restaurant technology statistics
- Restaurant consumer statistics
Let’s dive in!
Find out what today’s diners want, including how they choose restaurants, their dining habits, and their biggest deal-breakers.
Restaurant Industry Statistics
To understand where the industry is headed, you need to know a thing or two about its current state. Let’s have a look at a few U.S. restaurant industry trends for 2023.
- 1 million+ restaurant locations in the U.S. (Finances Online)
- 155,448: the number of single location full-service restaurant as of 2022 (IBISWorld)
- 101,811: the number of chain restaurants as of 2021 (Finances Online)
- 3.9 restaurants per 10,000 households in San Francisco, California – the highest concentration per capita in the U.S. (Finances Online)
- 12.4% growth in industry sales occurred from 2021 to 2022 (orders.co)
- 54% of restaurants cite inventory as their top expense in 2022 (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 54% of restaurateurs had to rely on their own savings to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 96% of operators experienced supply delays or shortages of key food or beverage items in 2021 (2022 State of the Restaurant Industry, National Restaurant Association)
- 50%+ of restaurant operators said it would be a year or more before business conditions return to normal (2022 State of the Restaurant Industry, National Restaurant Association)
- 2.9% increase in the U.S. fast food market expected in 2022 (IBISWorld)
- $56.7 billion: size of global ghost kitchen market in 2021 (Statista)
Restaurant Sales Statistics
In the wake of a monumental global pandemic, the restaurant industry is making a comeback. Let’s dig into some U.S. sales figures and restaurant revenue statistics to get the full picture.
- $799 billion was the total number of restaurant industry sales in 2021 (2022 State of the Restaurant Industry, National Restaurant Association)
- 74% of restaurants maintained or increased their sales in 2021 (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 32% of restaurants nationwide increased their sales in 2021 (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 39% of restaurants in New York City increased their sales in 2021 (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- $1.5 million was the average revenue for restaurants in 2022 (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 10.6% was the average profit margin for restaurants in 2022 (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 24% profit increase could result from regular, accurate inventory management (Your Go-To Guide for Restaurant Inventory Management, 7shifts)
- 39% of bar/grill style restaurants saw sales increase in 2021 (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 24% of fine dining restaurants saw sales increase in 2021 (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- $46 is the mean spend for dine-in orders in the U.S. (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- $34 is the mean spend for takeout orders in the U.S. (2022 Dining Trends Report)
Get the top trends and insights with our 2023 restaurant industry report.
Restaurant Menu Statistics
Now, we’ll look beyond restaurant revenue statistics at the dining trends that are shaping the industry – specifically, when it comes to restaurant menus.
- 84% of diners look up the menu online before deciding on a new restaurant, up from 59% in 2017 (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 24% of restaurants reduced the number of items on their menu in 2022 (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 54% of restaurants increased the number of items on their menu in 2022 (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 29% of diners order takeout and delivery at least once a week (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 44% of restaurants nationwide added takeout and delivery options to their menu during the pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 73% of restaurants in Los Angeles added takeout and delivery options to their menu during the pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 28% of restaurants added meal kits to their menu during the pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 50% of operators say that all or most of their suppliers increased prices in the past year (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 46% of diners say menu price increases would somewhat influence their dining decisions (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 78% of diners say locally sourced ingredients were very or somewhat likely to influence their decision to choose a specific restaurant, up from 49% in 2017 (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 34% of diners say a restaurant offering vegetarian food was very or somewhat likely to influence their decision to eat there (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 48% of diners say a menu available online is an important factor when dining in (2022 Dining Trends Report)
Restaurant Labor Statistics
No list of restaurant numbers would be complete without information on labor, which is a critical topic amidst the industry’s current restaurant staffing shortage.
- 81% of restaurants reduced staff during the pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 97% of restaurants report being short staffed in 2022 (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 38% of restaurants say in-store advertising is their primary method of finding new employees (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 3.1% is the average minimum wage increase restaurant operators say they can afford (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 38% of operators say they have cross-trained/repurposed staff to keep labor costs low (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- $3,959 is the average cost of training a new restaurant employee (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 110 days is the average employee tenure (Restaurant Employee Retention 7shifts Data Study)
- 34% of staff cite wages as their reason for leaving or planning to leave a job (Restaurant Employee Retention: 7Shifts Data Study)
- 72% of restaurants spend more than $2,000 on training a new employee (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 57% of restaurants stay competitive by offering benefits (2022 Labor Report)
- 72% of employees ranked team communication as important to their satisfaction at work (2022 Labor Report)
- 33% of restaurant workers would like to see manager recognition come in the form of promotions (2022 Labor Report)
Get 3 actionable strategies for finding, hiring, and keeping great restaurant staff.
Restaurant Marketing Statistics
It’s essential to keep your finger on the pulse of restaurant marketing trends. Let’s explore the marketing channels and promotions making news among restaurant industry statistics in 2023.
- 70% of restaurants now offer a loyalty program, which is up from just 57% the year prior (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 41% of millennial diners in the U.S. are part of a loyalty program (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 86% of diners show interest in joining a loyalty program if it offered discounts and coupons (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 50% of diners say email is their preferred way to hear from restaurants (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 55% of diners are influenced to open restaurant emails for coupons/promotions (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 71% of diners are looking for offers based on past order history (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 46% of diners want to see offers based on personal details like their birthdays (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 24% of diners say online reviews influence where they decide to eat (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 57% of Gen Z diners in the U.S. have tried a new restaurant based solely on positive feedback on social media (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 41% of diners always or often look at a restaurant’s social media before deciding on a new restaurant (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 80% of diners always or often look at a restaurant’s website before deciding on a new restaurant (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 86% of diners made a decision to try a new restaurant based solely on recommendations from family/a significant other (2022 Dining Trends Report)
Restaurant Technology Statistics
The right technology is key to running a thriving restaurant. It’s time to dive into everything from POS statistics to QR code usage and more, so you can learn how your venue stacks up.
- 71% of restaurants implemented mobile pay during the pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 70% of restaurants implemented QR codes during the pandemic (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- 76% of restaurateurs changed their POS systems in the past year (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 34% of restaurateurs say ease of use is the most important factor when choosing a POS (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 33% of restaurateurs say customer support is the most important factor when choosing a POS (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 97% of restaurants use at least one online ordering platform and, on average, most use three platforms (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 75% of restaurants had some form of online ordering platform prior to the pandemic, while 32% implemented online ordering after dining rooms were closed (The State of Restaurants in 2022)
- Restaurants say 25% of their business is conducted via online ordering, on average (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
- 22% of diners want the option to pre-schedule pickup and delivery orders (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 11% of diners want the option to text their orders (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 97% of operators cite frustrations with payment processors (The State of Restaurants in 2023)
Restaurant Consumer Statistics
Your customers are the most important ingredient in the recipe for a successful restaurant business. Let’s examine diner habits, preferences, and behaviors, so you can serve up more love to your guests!
- 44% of diners are dining out at least once a week or more (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 63% of diners head to local, independent restaurants over chains or franchises (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 68% of diners rank quality of food as the most important factor when dining in (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 55% of diners decide where to eat based on location (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 35% of diners prefer pick-up as their takeout method of choice (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 38% of diners usually place a to-go order over the phone (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 68% of Americans use the online ordering app DoorDash (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 45% of U.S. diners prefer to pay by credit card, while 32% prefer to pay by debit card (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 56% of Gen Z diners in the U.S. try a new restaurant monthly or more often (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 38% of diners say they rarely make a reservation when visiting a restaurant (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 55% of diners say a table wait time over 30 minutes would deter them from visiting a restaurant (2022 Dining Trends Report)
- 57% of diners would revisit a restaurant if the service was bad but the food was good (2022 Dining Trends Report)
Find out what today’s diners want, including how they choose restaurants, their dining habits, and their biggest deal-breakers.
Industry knowledge is key to restaurant success. You now have a comprehensive list of 81 restaurant statistics in your back pocket. With knowledge of these restaurant numbers, you’ll be well-positioned to tackle whatever market conditions impact the sector in 2023.
Katherine is the Content Marketing Manager at TouchBistro, where she writes about trending topics in food and restaurants. The opposite of a picky eater, she’ll try (almost) anything at least once. Whether it’s chowing down on camel burgers in Morocco or snacking on octopus dumplings in Japan, she’s always up for new food experiences.
Free job application template for restaurants
Subscribe to the TouchBistro Newsletter
Your Complete Guide to Restaurant Reservations
Download Guide
