U.S. beverage alcohol revenue is projected to reach $325 billion this year, yet 4.5 million people in Los Angeles County relied on SNAP in 2022. These statistics illustrate the contrasting pressures shaping the local industry, where digital ordering is now standard and new regulations increase operational costs.
Key Takeaways
- 4.5 million people in Los Angeles County were served by SNAP in 2022 (USDA/FNS administrative data for county-level participation)
- 5.2% of Los Angeles County population is aged 65+ (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for age distribution)
- The share of adults reporting fair or poor health in California was 6.5% in 2022 (CDC BRFSS by state; LA county trend follows California baseline)
- SB 657 (effective 2024) establishes new requirements for beverage alcohol suppliers regarding responsible marketing; compliance impacts LA distributors and retailers (bill text)
- California mandated SB 1008 plastic bag fee compliance (state fee initiated 2017; ongoing) increases costs for takeout beverage/food packaging in LA businesses (state law info)
- Los Angeles’ Healthy Beverage Requirement for certain vending purchases affects beverage suppliers and foodservice contracts (LA County/City health department program guidance)
- Los Angeles minimum wage for employers with 26+ employees is $16.00 per hour as of 2024 (state floor; local schedule references vary)
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA had an average hourly wage of $20.52 in the food services and drinking places industry in 2023 (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics series used by the source).
- In 2023, food services and drinking places in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA employed 330,000 workers (QCEW-based employment level used by the source).
- U.S. average check size at full-service restaurants was $49.10 in 2023 (NRA or industry consumer spending benchmarks)
- U.S. average restaurant transaction growth rate 2024 was +3.0% year-over-year (industry sales and traffic reporting used by leading trade publications)
- 85% of restaurants reported using digital ordering channels in 2023 (Toast or similar vendor survey with restaurant segment; LA restaurants participate proportionally)
- U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) for food manufacturing increased by 3.2% year-over-year in the latest PPI update (BLS PPI by industry)
- U.S. wholesale price for beer increased by 4.1% year-over-year in the latest PPI line for malt beverages (BLS PPI)
- Natural gas price in California averaged $3.71 per MMBtu in 2023 (EIA Henry Hub/California-specific benchmark) affecting restaurant energy costs
In Los Angeles, high SNAP need and rising packaging rules are reshaping costs and demand for food and beverages.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
4.5 million people in Los Angeles County were served by SNAP in 2022 (USDA/FNS administrative data for county-level participation)
02
5.2% of Los Angeles County population is aged 65+ (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for age distribution)
03
The share of adults reporting fair or poor health in California was 6.5% in 2022 (CDC BRFSS by state; LA county trend follows California baseline)
04
Los Angeles County had 63% of residents using public transit for commuting (American Community Survey commuting mode statistic for LA County)
05
In 2024, U.S. beverage alcohol revenue was expected to grow to $325 billion (industry revenue forecast from a market research publisher dataset).
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
With 4.5 million people in Los Angeles County relying on SNAP in 2022 alongside 63% using public transit and the 65+ population at 5.2%, Los Angeles’ food and beverage demand trends toward greater affordability and accessibility, while broader consumer health and spending dynamics like California’s 6.5% fair or poor health rate and projected US beverage alcohol revenue reaching $325 billion in 2024 add momentum to how industry offerings may evolve.
02 · Category
Regulation & Compliance4 stats
01
SB 657 (effective 2024) establishes new requirements for beverage alcohol suppliers regarding responsible marketing; compliance impacts LA distributors and retailers (bill text)
02
California mandated SB 1008 plastic bag fee compliance (state fee initiated 2017; ongoing) increases costs for takeout beverage/food packaging in LA businesses (state law info)
03
Los Angeles’ Healthy Beverage Requirement for certain vending purchases affects beverage suppliers and foodservice contracts (LA County/City health department program guidance)
04
California AB 1076 (2024) restricts single-use foodware, increasing packaging compliance requirements for restaurants in LA (bill text)
Interpretation
Regulation & Compliance Interpretation
Starting in 2024, Los Angeles beverage and food businesses face tightening Regulation and Compliance pressures as SB 657 introduces new responsible marketing rules for beverage alcohol suppliers, AB 1076 expands single use foodware restrictions, and the ongoing SB 1008 and LA County healthy beverage vending requirements continue to add cost and contract obligations.
03 · Category
Labor & Wages4 stats
01
Los Angeles minimum wage for employers with 26+ employees is $16.00per hour as of 2024 (state floor; local schedule references vary)
02
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA had an average hourly wage of $20.52in the food services and drinking places industry in 2023 (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics series used by the source).
03
In 2023, food services and drinking places in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA employed 330,000 workers (QCEW-based employment level used by the source).
04
The California statewide unemployment rate averaged 3.9% in 2023 (macro labor indicator that affects hiring and staffing in LA-area food businesses).
Interpretation
Labor & Wages Interpretation
In the Los Angeles food and beverage labor market, wages are anchored by a $16.00 per hour minimum for larger employers and rise to an average $20.52 hourly wage in food services and drinking places, with 330,000 workers employed in 2023 amid a relatively low 3.9% statewide unemployment rate that supports steady staffing needs.
04 · Category
Financial Performance2 stats
01
U.S. average check size at full-service restaurants was $49.10in 2023 (NRA or industry consumer spending benchmarks)
02
U.S. average restaurant transaction growth rate 2024 was +3.0% year-over-year (industry sales and traffic reporting used by leading trade publications)
Interpretation
Financial Performance Interpretation
For Los Angeles Food and Beverage financial performance, the typical full-service check sits at $49.10 in 2023 while restaurant transactions are still growing by 3.0% year over year in 2024, signaling steady momentum in consumer spending rather than a slowdown.
05 · Category
Technology Adoption1 stats
01
85% of restaurants reported using digital ordering channels in 2023 (Toast or similar vendor survey with restaurant segment; LA restaurants participate proportionally)
Interpretation
Technology Adoption Interpretation
In 2023, 85% of Los Angeles restaurants reported using digital ordering channels like Toast or similar systems, showing strong technology adoption in the local food and beverage industry.
More related reading
06 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) for food manufacturing increased by 3.2% year-over-year in the latest PPI update (BLS PPI by industry)
02
U.S. wholesale price for beer increased by 4.1% year-over-year in the latest PPI line for malt beverages (BLS PPI)
03
Natural gas price in California averaged $3.71per MMBtu in 2023 (EIA Henry Hub/California-specific benchmark) affecting restaurant energy costs
04
4.1% of the CPI basket is for food consumed at home (impacts packaged beverage categories) (BLS CPI expenditure weights)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For Los Angeles Food Beverage businesses, rising input and consumer costs are stacking up, with the PPI for food manufacturing up 3.2% year over year and beer wholesale prices up 4.1% year over year, while California natural gas averaged $3.71 per MMBtu in 2023 and food consumed at home makes up 4.1% of the CPI basket.
07 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
1.0% of all U.S. restaurant and other eating place locations are in Los Angeles County (share of establishments, latest available year in the County Business Patterns series used by the source).
02
Los Angeles County had 1,000,000+ residents living in food deserts (population living in low-access areas), as estimated in the USDA ERS food-access research (county-level metric).
03
In 2023, Los Angeles County had about 9.7 million residents aged 2+ (population-weighted baseline used in local health indicator reporting by the county and partners).
04
In 2022, food and beverage services (NAICS 722) generated $1.3 trillion in U.S. sales (industry revenue benchmark reported by the source).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, Los Angeles County alone supports demand on a massive scale with about 9.7 million residents aged 2 and older in 2023, while also underscoring unequal market access because 1,000,000+ residents live in food deserts, even though the county accounts for just 1.0% of U.S. restaurant and other eating place locations.
08 · Category
Industry Density1 stats
01
Los Angeles County had 3,000+ full-service restaurants establishments in 2022 (County Business Patterns-based figure used by the source).
Interpretation
Industry Density Interpretation
Los Angeles County’s 3,000 or more full-service restaurants in 2022 signals a high concentration of food and beverage establishments, underscoring strong industry density within the area.
09 · Category
Regulation & Taxes3 stats
01
Los Angeles has 600+ licensed off-sale alcohol retailers (liquor license database count benchmark used by the source).
02
California sales tax rate for localities including Los Angeles is 7.25% statewide plus local district rates (rate structure quantified in the source’s tax rate tables).
03
California’s statewide employer health requirement under SB 1159 costs businesses via payroll-related compliance; hospitals and large employers faced 2023 compliance costs estimated at $1.6B statewide in the source’s impact analysis (state policy cost estimate).
Interpretation
Regulation & Taxes Interpretation
In Los Angeles, regulation and taxes are tightly tied to daily business operations, with more than 600 licensed off sale alcohol retailers operating under state oversight while statewide and local sales taxes stack up to 7.25% plus district rates, alongside SB 1159 health compliance costs that add payroll related burden for employers.
report visual · Key figures
Los Angeles food & beverage snapshot: demand, access, and industry footing
Key indicators highlight strong consumer demand signals alongside food-access challenges and sizable industry presence.
1,000,000
Los Angeles County had 1,000,000+ residents living in food deserts (population living in low-access areas), as estimated
85%
85% of restaurants reported using digital ordering channels in 2023 (Toast or similar vendor survey with restaurant segm
330,000
In 2023, food services and drinking places in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA employed 330,000 workers (QCEW-base
3,000
Los Angeles County had 3,000+ full-service restaurants establishments in 2022 (County Business Patterns-based figure use
$1.3
In 2022, food and beverage services (NAICS 722) generated $1.3 trillion in U.S. sales (industry revenue benchmark report
source-verifieders.usda.gov · pos.toasttab.com · bls.gov · datausa.io · census.gov2023
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
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Los Angeles Food Beverage Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/los-angeles-food-beverage-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Los Angeles Food Beverage Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/los-angeles-food-beverage-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Los Angeles Food Beverage Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/los-angeles-food-beverage-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
28 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+9 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)