Saudi Arabia operates 45,000 restaurants. Sixty five percent of consumers dine out at least once a week. Figures detail revenue totals, employment levels, and shifts toward delivery and international options.
Key Takeaways
- 65% of Saudi consumers dine out at least once a week in 2023, preferring casual dining
- Restaurant employment in Saudi Arabia totaled 450,000 jobs in 2023, with 25% Saudization rate
- The Saudi restaurant market is projected to reach SAR 75 billion by 2028, CAGR 12.1%
- The Saudi Arabia restaurant industry was valued at SAR 42.5 billion in 2022, reflecting a CAGR of 8.7% from 2018 to 2022 driven by urbanization and tourism growth
- Saudi Arabia restaurant industry revenue
Saudi Arabia’s restaurant industry is growing steadily, driven by rising demand and a growing dining out culture.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Trends19 stats
01
65% of Saudi consumers dine out at least once a week in 2023, preferring casual dining
02
72% of millennials in Saudi Arabia prefer QSRs for convenience in 2023 surveys
03
Healthy eating options demand rose 35% in Saudi restaurants from 2021-2023
04
58% of diners in Saudi Arabia use mobile apps for ordering in 2023
05
Average spend per meal in Saudi full-service restaurants was SAR 85 in 2023
06
41% of Saudi women increased restaurant visits post-2020 due to social reforms
07
Vegetarian menu options available in 45% of Riyadh restaurants in 2023, up from 22% in 2019
08
Peak dining hours in Saudi Arabia are 8-10 PM on weekdays, with 60% table turnover
09
76% of Saudi consumers prioritize halal certification in restaurant choices in 2023
10
Family dining accounts for 55% of restaurant visits in Saudi Arabia in 2022
11
78% of Gen Z Saudis prefer international cuisine in 2023 polls
12
Delivery orders peaked at 40% of sales during Ramadan 2023
13
63% of consumers seek sustainable packaging in restaurants
14
Average dining party size is 4.2 persons in family-oriented Saudi culture
15
51% increase in vegan options demand in major cities 2022-2023
16
Late-night dining (after 11 PM) accounts for 18% of sales
17
69% of diners use loyalty apps in Saudi QSRs in 2023
18
Coffee consumption drives 45% of cafe revenues, averaging 3 cups/day per visitor
19
Female diners rose to 48% of total visits in 2023
Interpretation
Consumer Trends Interpretation
Despite a booming appetite for convenience and global flavors, the Saudi dining scene reveals a society in deliberate transition, where the traditional family meal is now just as likely to be ordered via app by a health-conscious, halal-certificate-prioritizing group of friends, increasingly including women, who might be splitting a vegan platter after 8 PM before grabbing a late-night coffee.
02 · Category
Employment and Operations18 stats
01
Restaurant employment in Saudi Arabia totaled 450,000 jobs in 2023, with 25% Saudization rate
02
Average salary for restaurant managers in Saudi was SAR 18,500 monthly in 2023
03
Kitchen staff turnover rate in Saudi restaurants averaged 32% annually in 2022
04
68% of restaurant operations in Saudi Arabia use POS systems as of 2023
05
Average table turnover time in busy Saudi QSRs is 22 minutes during peak hours
06
Saudization quotas require 30% Saudi nationals in restaurant frontline roles by 2024
07
Delivery riders employed by Saudi restaurants numbered 25,000 in 2023
08
Energy costs for restaurant kitchens averaged SAR 45,000 yearly per outlet in 2023
09
52% of Saudi restaurants implemented contactless payments in 2023
10
Total restaurant workforce hit 480,000 including part-time in 2023
11
Chef salaries averaged SAR 12,000/month in fine dining 2023
12
75% of restaurants adopted digital inventory systems by 2023
13
Saudization in managerial roles reached 22% in 2023
14
Average shift length for waitstaff is 8.5 hours in peak season
15
Waste reduction tech implemented in 35% of large chains, saving 15% costs
16
Training hours per employee averaged 40 annually in top chains
17
Kitchen automation like robo-fryers in 12% of QSRs 2023
18
Health & safety compliance at 92% across inspected outlets
Interpretation
Employment and Operations Interpretation
Saudi Arabia's dining scene is a high-stakes recipe of ambitious Saudization quotas, expensive human resources, and stubbornly high turnover, all being whisked together by a dash of technology that hasn't yet solved the fundamental equation of keeping both kitchens staffed and customers fed.
03 · Category
Future Projections and Investments18 stats
01
The Saudi restaurant market is projected to reach SAR 75 billion by 2028, CAGR 12.1%
02
FDI in Saudi foodservice expected to hit SAR 10 billion by 2025
03
Cloud kitchens projected to grow to 10,000 outlets by 2027 in Saudi Arabia
04
Healthy fast-food segment to expand at 18% CAGR to 2030
05
Tourism-driven restaurant growth forecasted at 15% YoY through 2030
06
Online delivery market share in restaurants to reach 25% by 2026
07
New restaurant openings projected at 5,000 annually from 2024-2028
08
Sustainability investments in Saudi restaurants to total SAR 2.5 billion by 2027
09
Revenue from fine dining expected to double to SAR 8 billion by 2030
10
Restaurant market to grow to SAR 85 billion by 2030 at 11.5% CAGR
11
International brands plan 2,000 new outlets by 2027
12
Ghost kitchens investment to reach SAR 5 billion by 2026
13
Premium coffee market CAGR 14% to SAR 4.2 billion by 2028
14
NEOM city to host 500+ restaurants by 2030 phase
15
Digital transformation spend projected SAR 3 billion in foodservice by 2025
16
Halal tourism to boost restaurant revenues by 20% annually to 2030
17
QSR digital sales to hit 40% of total by 2027
18
Sustainable sourcing investments SAR 1.8 billion forecasted by 2028
Interpretation
Future Projections and Investments Interpretation
Saudi Arabia's dining scene is cooking up a voracious, tech-savvy, and increasingly sophisticated feast, where every statistic from ghost kitchens to fine dining suggests a future where the kingdom won't just feed its ambition but serve it on a silver platter.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Overview20 stats
01
The Saudi Arabia restaurant industry was valued at SAR 42.5 billion in 2022, reflecting a CAGR of 8.7% from 2018 to 2022 driven by urbanization and tourism growth
02
Total number of restaurants in Saudi Arabia reached 45,000 outlets in 2023, up 15% from 2020 due to Vision 2030 initiatives
03
Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) accounted for 38% of the total restaurant market share in Saudi Arabia in 2022
04
Full-service restaurants grew by 11.2% YoY in 2023, contributing SAR 18.9 billion to the industry
05
Cafes and coffee shops segment expanded to 12,500 locations in Saudi Arabia by end-2023, a 22% increase since 2021
06
The overall foodservice market in Saudi Arabia, including restaurants, hit SAR 120 billion in 2023
07
Street food vendors numbered over 8,000 in major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah in 2022
08
Fine dining establishments in Saudi Arabia increased by 25% from 2019 to 2023, reaching 1,200 outlets
09
Cloud kitchen operations surged to 3,500 in Saudi Arabia in 2023, representing 8% of total outlets
10
The restaurant industry contributed 2.1% to Saudi Arabia's GDP in 2022
11
The Saudi Arabia restaurant industry was valued at SAR 42.5 billion in 2022 with a projected CAGR of 10.2% to 2027
12
Number of fast-food outlets exceeded 15,000 in Saudi Arabia by 2023
13
Casual dining segment held 28% market share in 2022
14
Coffee shop chains like Starbucks operated over 1,200 stores in 2023
15
Total F&B outlets including restaurants reached 55,000 nationwide in 2023
16
Hotel restaurants contributed SAR 9.2 billion in 2022
17
Independent restaurants make up 62% of total outlets in 2023
18
Riyadh metro area hosts 40% of all Saudi restaurants
19
Jeddah's restaurant density is 12 outlets per 10,000 residents in 2023
20
Dammam's restaurant growth rate was 18% YoY in 2022-2023
Interpretation
Market Overview Interpretation
The Saudi restaurant scene is brewing up a storm, where coffee shop expansions and fine dining flourishes are being swiftly outnumbered by the relentless march of the cloud kitchen and the humble shawarma stand, proving that whether it's a quick bite or a lavish feast, the nation's appetite is fueling a remarkable economic transformation.
05 · Category
Revenue and Financials19 stats
01
Saudi Arabia restaurant industry revenue
02
Average annual revenue per restaurant outlet in Saudi Arabia was SAR 945,000 in 2023
03
Profit margins for QSRs in Saudi Arabia averaged 15.2% in 2022, higher than full-service at 9.8%
04
Total sales from international fast-food chains in Saudi Arabia reached SAR 12.3 billion in 2023
05
Online food delivery contributed SAR 8.7 billion to restaurant revenues in 2023, a 28% YoY growth
06
Riyadh's restaurant sector generated SAR 15.4 billion in 2022, 36% of national total
07
Cost of goods sold (COGS) for Saudi restaurants averaged 32% of revenue in 2023
08
Labor costs represented 28.5% of total operating expenses in Saudi full-service restaurants in 2022
09
Rent expenses for prime location restaurants in Jeddah averaged SAR 250,000 annually in 2023
10
EBITDA margins for top Saudi restaurant chains were 18-22% in 2023
11
Restaurant revenues grew 14.3% YoY in H1 2023 to SAR 22.1 billion
12
KFC Saudi franchises reported SAR 2.8 billion revenue in 2022
13
Average profit per QSR outlet was SAR 142,000 in 2023
14
Food delivery platforms captured 22% of total restaurant sales in 2023
15
Full-service restaurants' average check size rose to SAR 120 in 2023
16
Marketing expenses averaged 4.5% of revenue for Saudi chains in 2022
17
Utility costs surged 12% for restaurants in 2023 due to inflation
18
Top 10 chains generated 35% of industry revenue in 2022
19
Break-even occupancy for full-service is 55% in Saudi market
Interpretation
Revenue and Financials Interpretation
Despite a landscape where food delivery apps are eating everyone's lunch and prime rents in Jeddah cost a king's ransom, Saudi Arabia's restaurant industry proves it can still turn a tidy profit, especially if you stick to frying chicken or letting someone else handle the dine-in china.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Saudi Arabia Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/saudi-arabia-restaurant-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Saudi Arabia Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/saudi-arabia-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Saudi Arabia Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/saudi-arabia-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
62 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level