Key restaurant industry statistics
- US restaurants and bars sold $807.3 billion in January to September 2026, up 4.4% on a year earlier (Census Bureau).
- The average US household spent $4,142 on food away from home in 2025, up 5.0% in a year and 36.7% since 2021.
- Eating out takes 39.0% of US household food spending, up from 36.6% in 2021.
- US food service managers earn a median $65,310 a year, with jobs projected to grow 6% by 2034.
- India has about 37 lakh small food-service businesses (restaurants, dhabas, caterers, cafés and stalls) employing about 87 lakh workers.
- Indian households spend an estimated ₹1.09 lakh crore a year on cooked meals and ₹1.85 lakh crore on cooked snacks bought, within a ₹9.12 lakh crore processed food and drinks category.
These restaurant industry statistics bring together the latest official figures for the United States and India: sales, household spending on eating out, growth, jobs, pay and the number of businesses. Every figure links to its source page on Advanton Statistics.
Updated November 2026.
20 restaurant industry statistics at a glance
Table of Contents
- US restaurants and bars sold $807.3 billion in January to September 2026 (Census Bureau).
- That was 4.4% more than in the same months of 2025.
- In September 2026, restaurant and bar sales were $92.9 billion, up 7.0% year on year.
- Restaurants and bars take 12.5% of all US retail and food services sales.
- The average US household spent $4,142 on food away from home in 2025 (BLS).
- Spending on eating out rose 5.0% from 2024 to 2025.
- It rose 36.7% from 2021 to 2025, against 23.4% for groceries.
- Eating out takes 39.0% of US household food spending.
- US households spend an estimated $571.6 billion a year on food away from home.
- Grocery store sales grew only 1.0% in January to September 2026, a quarter of restaurants’ growth rate.
- US food service managers earn a median $65,310 a year.
- There are 352,800 food service manager jobs in the US.
- Food service manager jobs are projected to grow 6% by 2034, twice the 3% for all jobs.
- India has about 37.0 lakh small food-service businesses (ASUSE 2023-24).
- They employ about 87.2 lakh workers, about 2.4 per business.
- 52.4% of India’s small food businesses are in urban areas.
- 76.0% of them have no hired workers.
- An urban Indian food business adds about ₹4.77 lakh a year in value, twice a rural one (₹2.39 lakh).
- Urban Indians spend ₹776 a month per person on processed food, drinks and meals bought, 11.1% of their spending.
- Within that category, households spend an estimated ₹1.09 lakh crore a year on cooked meals and ₹1.85 lakh crore on cooked snacks (CPI 2024 item weights).
US restaurant industry statistics
Restaurant and bar sales
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Food services and drinking places sales, January to September 2026 | $807.3 billion | Census Bureau, Monthly Retail Trade |
| Change on January to September 2025 | +4.4% | Census Bureau |
| Sales in September 2026 alone (seasonally adjusted) | $92.9 billion | Census Bureau |
| Change on September 2025 | +7.0% | Census Bureau |
| Share of all US retail and food services sales, January to September 2026 | 12.5% | Advanton calculation |
Restaurants and bars account for about one dollar in every eight spent at US retailers and food services. Sales grew faster in September (+7.0% year on year) than over the year to date (+4.4%), suggesting momentum into the autumn. These figures are not adjusted for price changes, so part of the growth reflects higher menu prices.
Restaurants vs grocery stores
| January to September 2026 vs 2025 | Sales | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Food services and drinking places | $807.3 billion | +4.4% |
| Grocery stores | $683.4 billion | +1.0% |
| Food and beverage stores (all) | $751.7 billion | +0.9% |
| All retail and food services | $6,445.1 billion | +4.7% |
US restaurants and bars now sell more than all grocery stores combined, and their sales are growing more than four times as fast. With grocery prices still rising, flat grocery sales suggest households are buying fewer groceries in real terms while continuing to eat out.
What households spend on eating out
| Year | Food away from home per household | Food at home per household | Eating out as a share of food spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $3,030 | $5,259 | 36.6% |
| 2022 | $3,639 | $5,703 | 39.0% |
| 2023 | $3,933 | $6,053 | 39.4% |
| 2024 | $3,945 | $6,224 | 38.8% |
| 2025 | $4,142 | $6,491 | 39.0% |
BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Household spending on eating out rose 36.7% from 2021 to 2025, faster than spending on groceries (+23.4%), and has held at about 39% of food spending since 2022 despite higher menu prices. Across about 138 million households, that is an estimated $571.6 billion a year (US restaurants and takeout market size). The Census figure for restaurant and bar sales is higher because it also includes spending by businesses, visitors and travellers.
Jobs and pay
| Occupation | Median pay a year (May 2024) | Jobs | Projected growth, 2024 to 2034 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food service managers | $65,310 | 352,800 | +6% |
| All US occupations | $49,500 | +3% |
Food service managers earn above the median for all US workers, and the occupation is projected to grow twice as fast as employment overall. See median pay by occupation.
India restaurant industry statistics
Small food-service businesses
India’s restaurant and food-service sector is dominated by small, unincorporated businesses: dhabas, cafés, caterers, stalls and family restaurants.
| Measure (ASUSE 2023-24) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Small food-service businesses | about 37.0 lakh |
| Share in urban areas | 52.4% |
| Workers | about 87.2 lakh |
| Average workers per business | about 2.4 |
| Owner-only businesses (no hired workers) | 76.0% |
| Value added per business a year, urban | ₹4.77 lakh |
| Value added per business a year, rural | ₹2.39 lakh |
| Average annual pay per hired worker | about ₹1.46 lakh (about ₹12,200 a month) |
Food service is more likely to employ staff than most small business activities: 24% of food businesses hire workers, against about 13% of small businesses overall. Urban food businesses add about twice the value of rural ones.
What Indian households spend on eating out and convenience food
The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey groups restaurant meals with drinks, snacks and packaged food as "beverages, refreshments and processed food (including cooked meals bought)". It is the single largest spending category in both urban and rural India:
| Urban India | Rural India | |
|---|---|---|
| Spending per person a month | ₹776 | ₹406 |
| Share of all spending | 11.1% | 9.8% |
Across India’s population, that is an estimated ₹9.12 lakh crore a year (household spending by category), with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and West Bengal the largest state markets. This is the whole category, including packaged food and drinks. The narrower markets restaurants serve are much smaller: households spend about ₹1,09,404 crore a year on cooked meals bought (cooked meals market size) and ₹1,85,498 crore on cooked snacks such as samosas, dosas and momos (cooked snacks market size), from MoSPI’s CPI 2024 item weights.
India’s largest markets for eating out and convenience food
| State | Estimated household spending a year on processed food, drinks and meals bought |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | about ₹1,16,866 crore |
| Maharashtra | about ₹93,741 crore |
| Tamil Nadu | about ₹69,524 crore |
| Bihar | about ₹60,509 crore |
| West Bengal | about ₹55,633 crore |
Advanton estimates from HCES 2023-24 and 2025 population projections. See India consumer spending for every state.
Key trends in the restaurant industry
- Eating out is resilient. In the US, its share of food spending has held near 39% through four years of high prices.
- Price growth is doing much of the work. Sales in dollars rise faster than the number of meals when menu prices rise; check real growth before expanding.
- Urban India is the convenience food market. Urban residents spend almost twice as much per person as rural residents on processed food and meals.
- Small operators dominate India’s sector. Three in four food businesses are owner-run, and productivity is much higher in cities.
- Management jobs are growing. US food service manager employment is projected to grow 6% by 2034.
Benchmarks for restaurant business planning
| Benchmark | Figure | How it is calculated |
|---|---|---|
| US household spending on eating out per week | about $80 | $4,142 ÷ 52 weeks |
| US household spending on eating out per month | about $345 | $4,142 ÷ 12 |
| Workers in a typical small Indian food business | about 2.4 | 87.2 lakh workers ÷ 37.0 lakh businesses |
| Cost of one hired worker in India, as a share of an urban food business’s annual value added | about 31% | ₹1.46 lakh pay ÷ ₹4.77 lakh value added |
The last benchmark shows why most small Indian food businesses stay owner-run: a single hired worker absorbs almost a third of what a typical urban outlet adds in value each year. Growing beyond the owner and family usually requires higher sales per outlet, better locations or catering contracts.
What these statistics mean for restaurant owners
- Location and footfall matter more than the national market. Use local population and spending data to size your area (see how to calculate market size).
- Watch costs as closely as sales. Rising sales in dollars can hide flat volumes and squeezed margins.
- In India, urban markets support bigger, more productive food businesses; rural markets favour low-cost formats.
- Delivery and takeout are part of the same market: households count them as eating out.
Planning a restaurant, café or food truck? Test the numbers with the free Business Idea Reality Check, or build an India market report for food businesses in any state.
Questions about the restaurant industry
How big is the US restaurant industry?
US food services and drinking places sold $807.3 billion in January to September 2026, up 4.4% on a year earlier, according to the Census Bureau.
Are restaurants growing faster than grocery stores?
Yes. In January to September 2026, US restaurant and bar sales rose 4.4% while grocery store sales rose 1.0%.
What share of food spending goes to restaurants?
About 39% of US household food spending goes on food away from home.
Which Indian state has the biggest market for eating out?
Uttar Pradesh, with an estimated ₹1,16,866 crore a year spent on processed food, drinks and meals bought, followed by Maharashtra.
How much do Americans spend on eating out?
The average US household spent $4,142 on food away from home in 2025, 39% of its food budget.
Is the restaurant industry growing?
In dollar terms, yes: sales rose 4.4% in the first nine months of 2026 and 7.0% in September year on year. Part of the growth reflects higher prices.
How many restaurants are there in India?
India has about 37 lakh small food-service businesses (restaurants, dhabas, caterers, cafés and stalls), according to ASUSE 2023-24, plus larger registered restaurant companies.
How much do restaurant managers earn in the US?
Food service managers earned a median $65,310 a year in May 2024.
How much do Indians spend on eating out?
Urban Indians spend about ₹776 a month per person on drinks, snacks, processed food and meals bought; rural Indians about ₹406.
Sources and methodology
- US Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, September 2026 (15 October 2026). Not adjusted for prices; September figures are advance estimates.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey 2021 to 2025; Occupational Outlook Handbook (pay for May 2024, projections 2024 to 2034).
- MoSPI, ASUSE 2023-24 and HCES 2023-24. India market size is an Advanton estimate; see the methodology.
Last reviewed November 12, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.