Brazil’s restaurant market generated R$ 71.3 billion in annual revenue, while the volume of restaurant and similar services rose 5.7% year over year in the first quarter of 2024. Growth sits alongside tight economics, with independent full service restaurants operating at a typical 3.1% margin and energy taking 2.4% of sales. This article breaks down market size, labor, costs, and delivery demand across the sector.
Key Takeaways
- 1.2% year-over-year increase in the number of food and beverage service activities (including restaurants) in Brazil in 2023
- R$ 71.3 billion annual revenue for restaurants and similar establishments in Brazil (latest available IBGE data for food and beverage services revenue series)
- US$ 38.2 billion forecast online food delivery revenue for Brazil in 2028 (latest market forecast; USD conversion)
- 5.7% year-over-year increase in the volume of restaurant and similar services in Brazil in 2024 Q1
- 8.6% year-over-year increase in nominal sales for food and beverage services in Brazil in 2024 (Accumulated over 12 months)
- 13.0% share of food and beverage services sales attributable to self-service restaurants and cafeterias in Brazil (CNAE 56.3/56.2 classification group, latest available by IBGE series)
- Brazil had 9.4 million jobs in food and beverage services in the latest available year of IBGE/RAIS-aligned employment statistics
- 2.3% year-over-year employment growth in accommodation and food services (including restaurants) in 2024
- 19.5% of workers in accommodation and food services in Brazil were informal (latest available Microdata/Contas Nacionais employment informality breakdown)
- 3.1% operating margin typical for independent full-service restaurants in Brazil (benchmark from restaurant industry financial benchmarking study)
- 2.4% of sales typically go to energy costs for restaurants in Brazil (benchmark from foodservice utility cost assessment)
- R$ 32.6 billion in restaurant-related imports of food ingredients (HS categories) in 2023 (external trade data relevant to restaurant input costs)
- US$ 11.4 billion in Brazil poultry imports in 2023 (input-cost relevance for restaurant menus)
- 71% of Brazilian smartphone users use messaging apps daily (WhatsApp use) enabling restaurant promotions via chat in 2024
- 63% of Brazilian digital consumers are willing to try new brands when offered a discount on apps/websites (surveyed preference)
Brazil’s restaurant sector is growing steadily in 2024, boosted by higher sales, delivery demand, and strong job creation.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cost Analysis8 stats
01
2.4% of sales typically go to energy costs for restaurants in Brazil (benchmark from foodservice utility cost assessment)
02
R$ 32.6 billion in restaurant-related imports of food ingredients (HS categories) in 2023 (external trade data relevant to restaurant input costs)
03
US$ 11.4 billion in Brazil poultry imports in 2023 (input-cost relevance for restaurant menus)
04
R$ 14.2 billion in Brazil coffee exports in 2023 (key coffee ingredient cost/value chain context)
05
0.8% VAT-like tax rate applicable to restaurant services under Brazil’s tax regime for many states (ICMS on foodservice varies; averaged for common CNAE classifications)
06
8.2% annual inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages in Brazil in 2024, which directly affects menu pricing, margins, and consumer demand for restaurants
07
US$ 2.8 billion Brazil beverage foodservice imports in 2023 (proxy for input supply chain), which influences restaurant costs and menu diversity
08
2.6% increase in foodservice unit price index in Brazil in 2024 (price level trend; consumer inflation indicator for dining out), affecting affordability
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For Brazil’s cost analysis, energy typically takes 2.4% of restaurant sales while food input pressures are rising, with 8.2% inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages in 2024 and sizable import reliance including R$ 32.6 billion in ingredient imports and US$ 11.4 billion in poultry imports in 2023, making menu pricing and margins especially sensitive to upstream cost shocks.
02 · Category
Market Size6 stats
01
1.2% year-over-year increase in the number of food and beverage service activities (including restaurants) in Brazil in 2023
02
R$ 71.3 billion annual revenue for restaurants and similar establishments in Brazil (latest available IBGE data for food and beverage services revenue series)
03
US$ 38.2 billion forecast online food delivery revenue for Brazil in 2028 (latest market forecast; USD conversion)
04
R$ 1,214.2 billion total Brazilian retail sales in 2023 (nominal), which includes the broader retail activity ecosystem where restaurants operate as part of household consumption spending
05
US$ 38.2 billion forecast online food delivery revenue for Brazil in 2028 (market forecast), reflecting the scale of delivery channel demand relevant to restaurant sales mix
06
R$ 640per capita annual spending on dining out in Brazil in 2023 (survey-derived spending level), indicating consumer budget allocation to restaurants
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the Market Size view, Brazil’s restaurant sector is substantial and growing, with annual restaurant revenue reaching R$71.3 billion and the number of food and beverage service activities rising 1.2% year over year in 2023, while online food delivery alone is forecast to reach US$38.2 billion by 2028.
03 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
5.7% year-over-year increase in the volume of restaurant and similar services in Brazil in 2024 Q1
02
8.6% year-over-year increase in nominal sales for food and beverage services in Brazil in 2024 (Accumulated over 12 months)
03
13.0% share of food and beverage services sales attributable to self-service restaurants and cafeterias in Brazil (CNAE 56.3/56.2 classification group, latest available by IBGE series)
04
R$ 7.9 billion spent on foodservice advertising in Brazil in 2023 (industry ad-spend estimate; latest year cited by media measurement firm)
05
27% of Brazil’s restaurant operators are chain-affiliated (share of unit sales/venues; latest available estimate by trade association benchmarking)
06
R$ 2.3 trillion value of Pix transactions occurred in Brazil in 2024 (annual cumulative value; BCB reporting)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In Brazil’s restaurant industry, accelerating demand and spend are going hand in hand with growth in modern formats, with restaurant volumes up 5.7% year over year in 2024 Q1 and nominal food and beverage sales up 8.6% over the prior 12 months, while self-service cafeterias account for 13.0% of sales, signaling clear Industry Trends momentum toward higher-volume, accessible dining.
More related reading
04 · Category
Employment & Labor4 stats
01
Brazil had 9.4 million jobs in food and beverage services in the latest available year of IBGE/RAIS-aligned employment statistics
02
2.3% year-over-year employment growth in accommodation and food services (including restaurants) in 2024
03
19.5% of workers in accommodation and food services in Brazil were informal (latest available Microdata/Contas Nacionais employment informality breakdown)
04
R$ 3,102average monthly real earnings for employees in accommodation and food services in Brazil (latest available year)
Interpretation
Employment & Labor Interpretation
Employment in Brazil’s restaurant and related accommodation and food services remains substantial at 9.4 million jobs, with 2024 seeing 2.3% year over year growth, but the sector also shows a high 19.5% informality rate and modest real average monthly earnings of R$ 3,102.
05 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
71% of Brazilian smartphone users use messaging apps daily (WhatsApp use) enabling restaurant promotions via chat in 2024
02
63% of Brazilian digital consumers are willing to try new brands when offered a discount on apps/websites (surveyed preference)
03
38% of Brazilian restaurants use loyalty programs (member-based promotions; adoption survey)
04
53% of Brazilian consumers report using online reviews to decide where to eat (consumer behavior survey), showing the importance of digital reputation for restaurants
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
With 71% of Brazilian smartphone users using messaging apps daily and 53% relying on online reviews to choose where to eat, restaurant growth under User Adoption is increasingly driven by meeting customers where they already engage every day.
06 · Category
Industry Overview5 stats
01
30 minutes median delivery time in Brazil for food delivery (latest platform operational benchmark; report year 2024)
02
3.2% of transactions in Brazil’s food delivery category experienced payment failures (merchant account stats in industry payment report)
03
R$ 18.8average ticket size for restaurant delivery orders in Brazil in 2024 (consumer order-size estimate from delivery analytics)
04
R$ 56.0average ticket size for casual dining in Brazil (latest year estimate from restaurant industry consumer panel)
05
3.1% operating margin typical for independent full-service restaurants in Brazil (benchmark from restaurant industry financial benchmarking study)
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Brazil’s restaurant industry is combining fast delivery and solid order values, with a 30 minute median delivery time and average ticket sizes of R$ 18.8 for delivery and R$ 56.0 for casual dining, yet it does so under tight economics where independent full service restaurants typically run at about a 3.1% operating margin.
report visual · Key figures
Brazil restaurant demand & sales momentum (latest year signals)
Recent year-over-year indicators show accelerating restaurant and food-service activity alongside stronger nominal sales growth.
5.7%
5.7% year-over-year increase in the volume of restaurant and similar services in Brazil in 2024 Q1
8.6%
8.6% year-over-year increase in nominal sales for food and beverage services in Brazil in 2024 (Accumulated over 12 mont
1.2%
1.2% year-over-year increase in the number of food and beverage service activities (including restaurants) in Brazil in
source-verifiedsidra.ibge.gov.br2024
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Brazil Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brazil-restaurant-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Brazil Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/brazil-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Brazil Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/brazil-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
33 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
sidra.ibge.gov.bripea.gov.br
deloitte.com
iea.org
kantar.com
datareportal.com
thinkwithgoogle.com
statista.comgov.br
comtradeplus.un.orgmdic.gov.br
abrasel.com.br
just-eat.dk
adyen.com
glovoapp.com
nielsen.com
mckinsey.combcb.gov.br
businesswire.com
brightlocal.com
wits.worldbank.org
oecd.orgworldbank.org
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)