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Restaurants in the U.S. - statistics & facts

The restaurant industry in the United States has seen healthy growth over the past few decades, despite challenges caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As a leading contributor to the global restaurant market, the U.S. quick service restaurant (QSR) industry's output was forecast to see an increase of roughly 100 billion U.S. dollars over a fifteen-year period, reaching 261.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. The output of the U.S. full service restaurant industry experienced similar growth in recent years and reached an estimated total of over 72.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. For many in the U.S., restaurants have become an essential part of everyday personal and professional life. Millions depend on the hospitality sector for employment, however, the number of employees in the U.S. restaurant industry declined significantly in 2020 amidst the series of nationwide restaurant restrictions and closures caused by the health crisis.

Most popular restaurant chains in the United States

Some restaurant chains, especially QSRs, have become household names both in the U.S. and globally. McDonald's was by far the leading restaurant chain in the United States in terms of sales, followed by Starbucks and Chick-fil-A. In 2021, the global fast food giant was also the most valuable quick service restaurant brand worldwide. With an estimated brand value of approximately 155 billion U.S. dollars and annual sales of over 40 billion U.S. dollars, McDonald’s surpassed all other leading burger franchises, including Burger King and Wendy's. In terms of sales, the company also outperformed the most successful U.S. fine dining chains. Overall, QSRs have experienced steady growth over the past few years following the ever-increasing consumer appetite for quick and affordable meals. The number of QSR franchise establishments in the U.S. was forecast to exceed 192 thousand in 2022, and while many locations had to close their doors at least temporarily in 2020, drive-thru and delivery infrastructures enabled restaurants to resume operations during the pandemic.

Is delivery the future of the U.S. restaurant industry?

While full service restaurants faced competition before the COVID-19 pandemic due to the fast food phenomenon and overall saturation of the market, the shift away from sit-down dining due to the pandemic accelerated this even further in 2020. Visits to full service restaurants in the United States declined by almost 50 percent, while quick service restaurants were not as severely affected. In light of this situation, many FSRs expanded their digital presence and introduced delivery services to stay afloat. During the first weeks of the pandemic, most U.S. consumers who ordered food online did so directly through a restaurant’s website, but a significant number also used third-party food delivery services, such as DoorDash or Uber Eats. Today, the marketplace for food delivery and takeaway is soaring, and the number of smartphone food delivery app users in the U.S. alone was forecast to grow to over 50 million users by 2023.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Oct 17, 2022

Key insights

Most valuable restaurant brand worldwide
McDonald's
Foodservice and drinking place sales in the U.S.
876.33bn USD
Number of employees in the restaurant industry in the U.S.
11.2m
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Foodservice and drinking place sales in the United States from 1992 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Foodservice and drinking place sales in the U.S. 1992-2021

Leading chain restaurants in the United States in 2021, by sales (in billion U.S. dollars)

Quick-Service & Casual Dining Restaurants

Sales of the leading chain restaurants in the U.S. 2021

Number of foodservice employees in the United States as of May 2021, by occupation

Food & Drink Services

Number of foodservice employees in the U.S. 2021, by occupation

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